Blood Bonds
by Tygerlilee
Summary: Heero has continured life and discovers a boy who looks identical to himself....This chapter:I'm finished! Sorry it took forever, but I'm done. Heero's dead, but Tai lived...
1. The Average Boy

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter One

The Average Boy

*Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters...only this story. I'm not making any profit off of this either.

He walked down the hall to his locker at the end of the row with his usual expressionless mask firmly in place. Another day had passed, another day of freedom. He was an average kid, with average grades, and an average life. There was no longer a war, no longer Gundams, and no longer any orders from senile old men. He was free.

A quiet girl in a yellow shirt smiled shyly at him as he passed her on his way out of the building. He nodded back.

A boy with long, unbrushed hair averted his gaze to the floor, his eyes empty. He mentally shook his head, remembering the endless sorrow and self-loathing that once consumed his own heart.

An older woman rushed in the opposite direction, her hips shifting back and forth, glaring suspiciously at every passer by. He groaned inwardly at the untrusting lady.

His backpack was unusually heavy, that meant more homework, but that didn't matter. He would get it done.

He calmly exited the building, his gait unhurried and casual--without purpose. He continued on the sidewalk, crossing streets. The buildings became more dilapidated as he walked on, the yards smaller, the sidewalks more broken. 

He entered a four-story red brick building. The foundations were cracked slightly, letting the building lean slightly to the left, reminding one of the Great Leaning Tower of Pisa. Several windows were splintered and broken from stray baseballs and rocks, starbursts of jagged edges, the wooden edging weather beaten, and the roof sagging. 

He climbed up seven steep steps and entered the building. The halls were dingy and dirty, the light dim. The stairs creaked from age and lack of attention. On the second floor, he unlocked the third room on the right to reveal a shabby blue couch and a short table. A doorway in the back led one to believe that there were more rooms.

An average apartment, for an average colony dweller on this run down old colony.

After the wars, the financially torn colonies fell into disrepair, especially the dwellings. Many had decent homes, but when one was living on the salary of part-time minimum wage, the pickings grew rather slim--especially on this colony. Rumor had it that the founders were encouraging people to leave because it was becoming so run down, that it was no longer safe to live on. It needed major rebuilding and designing, and that couldn't be done with people living there.

He slung his backpack onto the couch and sat down at the table to begin his work.

At four thirty, he put his homework aside and changed into khakis, a white collared shirt, and a teal button vest. He had to work until closing tonight --bagging groceries.

He locked his door and after walking down several blocks, arrived at a mid-sized convenience store. He clocked in and stationed himself at one of the checkout lines.

He smiled half-heartedly and politely at the customers and transported groceries for several elderly people.

He was average in every way and every aspect.

He was an average high-school student, orphaned by the war, supporting himself on his meager salary.

He was an average teenager with the usual bad attitudes and an indifferent facade.

He was nothing special and never had been...that was what everyone saw when they looked at him. He wasn't worth the notice for anyone to look harder to see if he might be more, if he might have once been more.

He was average and free, unnoticed and comfortable. He depended on no one and made his own choices. People could stereotype him if they wished--he didn't care. 

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A/N I know that that was boring and seemingly pointless, but I needed that foundation for the rest of the story. I know that it sounds angsty, and it might be an angst story, but right now I'm not planning on that. You probably have already guessed who He' is, but if you have not, you'll know in the next chapter. PLEASE stick with me and keep reading. It'll get a LOT better SOON [okay, maybe not soon...give me six or so chapters, then it'll be happier : ) ]! Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome. Tygerlilee =^.^= 


	2. Homeless

Chapter Two

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Two

Homeless 

*Disclaimer: I don't own anythingyadda, yadda, yadda

He turned over with a soft groan when his alarm sounded, slicing through his much-needed sleep. He hadn't gotten home from work until midnight and he had had to stay up till two in the morning to finish an essay and calculus homework.

He rolled out of bed, stripped, and climbed into the shower, letting the cold water cascade over his drowsy eyes and body. 

He grabbed a towel from the floor to dry himself off, ignoring the chill–it didn't bother him.

At the sink, he brushed his teeth and shaved. His wet bangs clung to his face. As he parted them to see, he caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. His dark eyes were indifferent and calm, his face relaxed and unstressed. Sleep, homework, food...those things were minor compared to what he used to have to worry about. 

Yet, this strange adolescent was happy. Happy to be alive, happy to eat, happy to work, happy to go to school, and, most of all, happy to make his own decisions. Many teenagers yearned for excitement and an adventure of some sort, but he was happy to be average. However, he hid it well behind a mask of indifference and serenity.

He quickly dressed, grabbed his backpack, and set off for school. The morning air was cool and crisp, light dewdrops kissing his neck. He greeted the building by stopping at his locker to deposit several books, then made his way to the cafeteria. Luckily, he qualified for free breakfast and lunch–he could hardly afford his run-down apartment and various other needs. He usually skipped dinner, once in a while he splurged and bought something to eat for dinner, but that wasn't often so he always ate a generous helping at school.

His stomach grumbled as his nose caught sent of the sausage biscuits in the making.

"Hay man! Was work that bad yesterday? You look awful," an overly cheerful voice greeted him.

"I'm fine–just a little sleep-deprived," he told the black, greasy-headed boy behind him.

"Well, I don't know bout you, but I'm ready for some chow. They threw all the left-overs away at work before I could stop them, so no dinner for poor little Donny!" The boy grinned as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world to go without food. Strangely, it was an understanding between the boys that food was relatively unimportant, and sometimes, one went without them. One could live without food for a short time, and there were much more crucial things in life to worry about. Having two meals instead of three a day was no matter.

Donny grinned widely, his dimpled cheeks misleading anyone observing him. He was not only a war orphan, but a war veteran–just like his silent, stoic companion. That was what created their similar attitudes on life. Many teenagers now had them, having fought in the Eve Wars.

That was also why Donny never questioned his companion's silence–he was a veteran, and you didn't ask about that. Who knew what horrors he had seen, or even committed. Donny didn't ask, and he didn't want to know.

The shy girl in a yellow shirt smiled shyly at him again as he and Donny sat down at a half-filled table. He nodded to her. 

"Whoa, Heero!! She's kinda cute," Donny grinned idiotically.

Heero grunted as he started into his breakfast, surprised as usual by his own hunger.

Fifteen minutes later, the bell rung for class. Heero and Donny separated to there respective classes.

His mind was wondering again. The clock was going slow on purpose just to spite him and he doodled on his paper absently as the gray-old man dwralled on and on about some stupid formula that Heero already knew.

That was the problem, his classes were all so dang boring and the teachers were just as bad. Not only were the buildings falling apart, but so were the people. The teachers in this school were a prime example. They all obviously hated their jobs and the subject that they taught. Heero tried to force himself to stay awake, but between his lack of sleep and half-full stomach, his head finally fell helplessly to his desk.

His mind was swirling into the blissful darkness of sleep, falling into the dreamless abyss of exhaustion. 

He awoke with a start when the bell punctured his peace. 

The day dragged on and on, and Heero continued to struggle to stay conscious. He needed rest, and he needed it terribly.

When the last bell of the day sounded, Heero dragged himself home in a daze, forcing one foot in front of the other. He was so tired. He was weak. He needed more food, but he couldn't, just like so many others on this run-down orphaned colony. But he was still free to choose, free to live–and he was happy.

It took him much longer than usual to get home–his home, the one that he paid for himself. As he approached the door, a man in a blue-gray suit stopped him.

"Hold on young man. Where are you going?" he asked.

Heero looked at him without really seeing. He wanted his couch. "Home," was his lazy reply.

The man looked at him suspiciously. Heero was sure that the man was going to ask him what he had been smoking, but he didn't. 

"You can go in, but pack your bags. This building is condemned," he said instead.

Heero snapped out of it suddenly. "What?" he asked.

"The building, it's condemned. You know what that means? It's no longer considered livable and we're closing it down," he explained calmly.

"What else is new? Every other building around here is just as bad. Why this one? Where are all the inhabitants supposed to go?" Heero asked, truly concerned, not only for himself, but also for the others who lived there.

"Why don't you move back in with your family kid. There are so many kids living around here, why don't they all go back home?" the man asked, his voice was taking on a condescending air.

"Because I have no family, and they have no families," Heero was getting annoyed at the man's ignorance. "Where are we supposed to go?" Heero asked again, and then he sprinted up the stairs to his apartment to pack his very few belongings.

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An hour later Heero was knocking on Donny's door, hoping that he hadn't left for work yet.

The door to the dingy apartment swung opened. "Heero, what's..." his voice trailed off and his smiled faded as he viewed Heero's stuffed duffel bag and backpack. He looked up at Heero questioningly.

"They condemned my apartment. Can I stay with you until I find a new place?" Heero asked. Heero hated to ask for anything or to depend on anyone. He wanted to rely only on himself, but in some situations, he had to swallow his pride and plead.

"Yah, sure! Comm'on in," Donny's face was in a slight daze, trying to register what was going on. He needed sleep too.

"Thanks," Heero said.

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A/N I swear that this story has more of a plot, just give it a little time, please!! Also, a warning you ahead of time...this is going to be a long story. I'm not sure how long yet, but it will not be my usual five-or less chapter thing. My max thus far has been six chapters, and this one will be MUCH longer and MUCH more involved. Please REVIEW!!!!!! Tygerlilee =^.^=


	3. Collapse

Chapter Three

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Three

Collapse

*Disclaimer: Okay, I'm a poor student so don't sue, blah, blah, I don't own GW

At lunch, the unlikely group of friends sat, starting in disgust at another of their fellows as he stuffed his face. They were all wondering the same thingwhy wasn't he choking on his hand as he shoved it down his throat along with his food?

"Ug," a burly bushy headed boy said as he tried to swallow his own lunch. 

"You read my thoughts exactly, Gadeth," Donny solemnly agreed.

Heero just shook his head at the short, scrawny blond seated across from him. 

"Man, how in the heck can someone so tiny tuck away that much food! Even you don't eat that much Gadeth," Donny said in amazement.

The blond stopped for a drink and took a breath and began swallowing again. 

"Zoram, if you choke, I know the Heimlich maneuver–just so you know," Heero said.

Gadeth snorted into his "vegetable mix" and Donny spewed his red drink across the table at Gadeth out of his nose. "Ohh, that hurt!!"

"Serves you right for snorting on me," Gadeth retorted.

"Hey, have you guys noticed that people keep disappearing from school?" Zoram asked.

"Hey, welcome to the world of the average stomached!!" Donny cheered.

Zoram "humped" him and repeated his question.

"I haven't really noticed anything," Gadeth reported in his hoarse, high-pitched voice.

"Gadeth, you never see anything, even if it is running around in a too-too and ruby slippers--or sitting on your lap for that matter!" Donny sighed. "Yah, TJ hasn't been in class for a week, and he's mister-perfect-attendance," he added.

"I've counted a total of ten people missing from my classes," Heero reported.

"TEN!?! Are you serious?" Gadeth gasped.

"Something's up. It's like everyone has just vanished off of the face of the planet..ercolony," Zoram quietly said.

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"Hey Heero, catch!!" Jean called from across the basketball court. Heero had a gym class this semester and all they did was play basketball. But that was fine with him–he needed exercise.

Heero dribbled the ball a couple times before passing it over several heads to a teammate closer to the basket. Usually he could hit the basket from this distance no problem, but today he was just too weak. He had been noticing that his strength was decreasing a little each day. He was constantly falling asleep in class, and he just didn't have the energy necessary to do his homework anymore.

Maybe he needed to start eating more, but he could afford it now. He was living with Donny at the moment and paying half the rent. That was better for both boys, even if living space was tight. But that was okay too because they got along well.

His team scored another point, putting them six points in the lead. 

Heero stopped and, crouching down, rested his hands on his knees while catching his breath. He was so tired. 

When the game started again, Heero knew that something was seriously wrong with him–his sight was blurry. As sweat poured down his body, he could feel the dizziness sweep over him. Everything was a large, swirling, ambiguous cloud. Voices sounded distant and shallow. His vision was tinted green and fading fast.

"Heero, head up!" a very distant voice called.

He felt something slam into his head, knocking him over and he blacked out.

When Heero awoke, his teacher was standing over him, genuinely concerned. "Heero, how do you feel?" the green-eyes man inquired.

Heero groaned as he forced himself up. "I'm fine, just a little tired," he told him.

"No Heero, I don't think so. I think that you need to pay a visit to the nurse. I've been noticing that you just haven't been yourself lately. Come on, I'll have someone help you," he said, grabbing Heero's arm and pulling him up.

"I'm fine," Heero insisted as the bell for his last class rang.

The green-eyed man just shook his head at the quickly disappearing back.

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"Hey Heero," Zoram called out as he ran to catch up, four other boys from his gym class in towe. "Are you okay? We were all really worried about in gym."

"I'm fine, Zoram. But thanks for the concern," Heero replied.

"Are you sure. Man, you looked awful–crap, you still do!" 

"Thanks," Heero said sarcastically.

A hand heavily fell onto Heero's shoulders, nearly knocking him over. "Oops. Sorry He-man," a bushy headed Gadeth apologized.

"That's okay Gadeth. Just don't pull my arm out of socket," Heero pleaded.

"Hey, hey, best friend com'in through! Clear the area. The guy needs some air!" Heero heard Donny's cheerful voice chirping through the mass.

Heero shook his head at everyone's concern. "I'm fine," he reassured them.

"Heero, you feel asleep while standing. Not only that, but you were actively taking part in a basketball game!! You are NOT OKAY!" Zoram said, his voice slowly rising in pitch with each word.

Heero decided not to tell them that he hadn't fallen asleep, that would make them only worry more. But he was happy that they even cared. It was reassuring somehow. 

He smiled inwardly as he walked to his jointly owned apartment.

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A/N You're still reading? GREAT!!! I hope that it's starting to sound as if it has a plot! =) Also, if you think Heero is out of character, please note that he mostly thinks and does not voice his thoughts. Please review, my inbox gets in a very nasty mood when it's not fed. ^_~ Tygerlilee 


	4. Going Away...

Chapter Four

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Four

Going Away

*Disclaimer: Sigh, I do not own GW or anything else for that matter.

Heero and Donny reached the school at their usual time. Heero had completely ditched his homework for some extra sleep; he wouldn't allow himself to collapse again.

The halls were somewhat emptier than usual, but they didn't worry about it—their stomachs were calling.

By the time the bell rang and Heero found his first period class mostly empty, he began to get worried. What was going on here?

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"Mrs. Lee, will you please send Heero Yuy down to the office at the end of class." the voice over the intercom stated rather than asked.

"Yes," was Heero's English teacher's curt reply, and then she continued to rant about some dead author that Heero didn't care about. He just didn't have the attention span for this right now.

When the bell rang, Heero made his way to the main office, where he was instructed to go into one of the back offices. He became slightly nervous when he noticed the nameplate said Maia Trident--Guidance Counselor.'

A woman in her late twenties with bouncy curls and large blue eyes was waiting for him as he entered the room. "Yes? Can I help you?" she asked, a large smile plastered on her lips.

"You called for me. I'm Heero Yuy," Heero told her.

"OH! Of course! Heero sit down," she enthusiastically replied, motioning to a cushioned seat in front of her desk.

Heero sat and examined her facial features as she began to shuffle through several files on her desk, apparently looking for something.

"Oh, here it is," she smiled triumphantly up at Heero. He just gave her a half-smile. "Well, anyway—to the point. I have been reviewing all the students' main files. Don't leak this out or anything, but the founders have been trying to get us to empty out the schools a little bit. They want to fix up this dump, but they can't do that when it's inhabited, so I've been looking for ways to get you kids out of here—sending them to relatives, foster homes, etceteras," she smiled at him, apparently looking for some type of reaction.

She found none, so she continued. "Heero, according to your records, you have never been given an I.Q. test or any type of standardized exams. Your grades and past achievements indicate that you are a VERY intelligent student. I was wondering if you would agree to be tested. If you score high enough, you could be sent to a much better private school. Now, I know that you kids stereotype private schools as preppy,' but you could receive a much better education, and with your level of intelligence, I think that it would be a waste not to. What do you say?" she finished her spiel.

"I can't afford to go anywhere," Heero told her simply.

"But if you score high enough, you could get a scholarship and if you still needed to, you could go ahead and get a job near whatever school you go to," she explained.

"Alright. I'll be tested," Heero agreed. I didn't really matter anyway...it was only a test. What could it change anyway? Besides, he was happy where he was and didn't need a change. "Can I go back to class now?" he asked.

"Sure, let me write you a note." She pulled out a little pad and began to jot down Heero's tardy excuse. As she held it out to him, she asked "Heero, I heard about your collapse in gym yesterday. I was asking some of your teachers about you. They are all very concerned—falling asleep in class when you never have before, slacking off on your homework, the collapse. Now that I really look at you, you're awfully thin and pale. Are you eating and sleeping? You should see a doctor."

Heero took the note and looked at her directly in the eyes, "I can't afford to eat, and I can't afford to sleep, and I don't need a doctor. I'm fine."

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At lunch, Donny ran excitedly up to Heero. "Hey man, guess what?"

"I give up, what," Heero said, he was never one for guessing games.

"I know where everyone's been dis'pear in to! I'm go in too!" Donny spewed.

"Say it, don't spray it. Where are you going?" Heero asked. One night of extra rest evidently wasn't enough for him; he was about to nod off into his, er, whatever you want to call this stuff.

"There's a couple of old geezers who want to help the poor orphaned children of the war.' They're gonna be my foster parents til I graduate and find a descent job! Course I'll have to leave here" he trailed off, his face taut with worry.

"You don't have to worry about leaving me or anyone else here. Everyone here will probably be shipped out too," Heero reassured him.

"Are you leaving too?" Donny asked as Zoram and Gadeth joined them at the table.

"Who's leaving where and when?" Zoram asked just previous to launching himself into Lunch' mode.

"Everyone's being sent to foster homes and such," Heero filled them in. "A counselor called me in today. She wants to test me to see if she can send me to a private school on scholarship."

"REALLY?" Donny asked, his eyes very round. "That's awesome Heero! You've always been a brain. You could really go somewhere."

Heero shrugged and turned back to his "food."

"It doesn't really matter to me, as long as I don't have to do anymore fighting," he said softly.

Donny nodded in understanding while Gadeth looked on with a very confused expression on his face. "Everyone's going where?" he asked.

Zoram choked on his food, noodles flying.

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	5. Alone

Chapter Five

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Five

Alone

*Disclaimer: I don't own GW, I'm simply borrowing their character, Heero Yuy, and continuing his life's story.

Heero rolled out of bed lazily. One of his tests was today, but he really didn't care how he did. He was feeling a little stronger–he had been skipping his homework almost every night now–but he was still pretty weak.

He slowly got dressed and made his way to school and sat down to breakfast alone. Donny had been shipped off to his foster home on Earth three days ago, and Gadeth had left for a private school on a wrestling scholarship yesterday. Now Zoram was gone as well. 

During the war, he had been starved, resulting in his stunted growth. Then, when he moved here, he gorged himself every time he found food–he was afraid that he would never eat again–Heero, Donny, and Gadeth had always believed that he was just a human garbage disposal. It was a week and a half ago that the internal bleeding started.

He had died last night after vomiting black blood--Heero had been at the hospital all night with him. Heero would never forget how he looked lying there, his face drained of all color, dripping with sweat as he spastically coughed and vomited. The doctors said that no one thing killed him. They speculated that a gastrointestinal infection originated with his war-time starvation and massive gorging for the past several months, then was heightened by an unhealthy diet of the poor excuse for food at the run down high school. The body tried cleans itself resulting in his sever dehydration and coughing. And now Zoram was gone.

Heero was alone now. The school was over half-empty and it was no secret where all the students were going.

Heero had not really wanted to leave before, but now there was absolutely nothing here for him and he found that he didn't care what happened. He did not care that he was alone, he did not care what happened to his friends–that Zoram had died, and he was listless and cold.

That was a lie–he did care. As much as he hated to admit it, he was lonely and wanted his friends back, he missed them. For the second time in his life, with them, he had found companionship–but it had been better with these three because he didn't have to fight or lead them. He had his freedom and they were friends. Life was so much simpler and he had truly been happy, but now they were gone and he was alone. 

He could just make new friends, but they would just leave. There was no point in trying. Everyone on this colony would just leave him alone. Alone againjust like when Odin left he was alone.

He was alone again, and he didn't like it. 

He wanted out of this place–this cockroach and rat heaven. 

He wanted to do well on that test and get a scholarshiphe needed out.

He didn't want to be alone.

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"You have five minutes left, Mr. Yuy," a skeptic nasal voice informed him.

Heero's mind was working as hard as it could, trying to recall everything that anyone had ever told him. This test was obviously meant to separate the intelligent from the geniuses–it was an I.Q. test after all. 

He should have eaten dinner last nighthe should have slept longer

"Time's up, Mr. Yuy," the nasal said.

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Heero calmly walked to his locker, retrieving his calculus book.

The girl in the yellow shirt was no longer there to smile shylyshe had been sent to a foster home.

The boy with long unbrushed hair was no longer avoiding his gazehe had committed suicide.

But the older woman still wagged her hips and glared untrustingly at all passers by

Heero walked to his apartment that he used to share with Donnythe sky looked much darker than usualthey must be about to make a storm up therewhat little grass and plant life was on this decrepit colony needed rain badlythey hadn't made it rain in a long time because of leaky roofs. 

Heero's arms achedhe was falling apart just like this colony.

His mind began to wander down memory lane and his feet took him to work. 

He was in a dazehe was weak he should have slept morehe should have studied for that testhe wanted outhe was alone.

Heero came home to the cold damp apartment and pulled out his calculus book. That last test had been the I.Q. test. For the first part the long-nosed man had asked him various questions and had him solve several puzzles–then he had had to take a little timed test. He might have bombed that, but he still had the standardized test and he was going to study–he was going to get out. 

He wanted out.

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"You have five minutes left, Heero," and kindly over-weight woman told him.

Heero had finished the test thirty minutes ago, but he was rechecking his answers just in casehe was worried because it had seemed so easynothing like that last test.

"Heero, your time is up," she smiled down at him as he handed her his test paper. "We'll have your scores back in a couple weeks."

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Heero scored another goal; his team was now tied with their opponent. He was playing two-on-two; the four of them were the only ones left.

Heero noticed that they kept shooting him concerned glances, as if waiting for him to collapse. But he was feeling strongerhe had been getting more sleep and eating dinner since preparing for his test. However, he had finished that this morning so he would be back to the old routinehe couldn't afford to keep living like that--literally. 

More people were leaving the colony, not just the school kids. As people left, goods became more scarce and much more expensiveHeero just couldn't afford it. The test was over though, so now he could slack off.

He wanted to get out and get out nowhe was tired of living like thishe didn't want to be alone.

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A/N I know that this is a really depressing chapter, and overall the fic is really depressingbut it will get happier, I promise!! Please just give me some time.

As always, please review me! 

Oh and another note–Zoram's vomiting may sound a little reminiscent of "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston (if you've ever read it), but he did not die from Ebola. It was a sever case of extended starvation followed by massive gorging. That weakened his body and he got an infection form one of several things (unsanitary surroundings, bad food, etc.) and he died. I don't know if that is really possible, but it made sense to me. I am not a doctor, medical student, or anything else so please excuse any inaccuracies. Thanks so much ^_~ Tygerlilee


	6. Getting Out

Chapter Six

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Six

Getting Out

*Disclaimer: I don't own nuttin' so don't sue! ^_~

"Mrs. Lee, would you please send Heero Yuy to guidance as soon as class is over," the voice over the intercom stated rather than asked.

"Yes," was Mrs. Lee's short, pointed reply.

Heero already knew what this was abouthis tests. Heero's stomach twisted into a double knot as he walked down the stairs, his face blank and in control–hiding what he was feeling as usual. 

Heero wanted out of this placebut he was afraid to hope for it.

When Heero entered Miss Trident's office, she was not alone, so Heero stationed himself outside the door in her view.

"Heero," she called to him cheerfully. "Come in. These men want to speak with you about your test scores!" She was grinning madly, but that was no indication of anything since she was always smiling ear to ear.

Heero walked in and stood at attention in front the two men, who turned to shake his hand. "Heero, I am Mr. Bolt, and this is Mr. Rossi. We are representatives from The Lowery Institute, uh, it's a private school on colony XI-487," a man with a toothpick mustache told him.

Heero did not appear to be impressed, so the Mr. Rossi cut in. "Heero, according to your tests, you would be an ideal student for our school. We only accept the most gifted...in various areas, not just academic achievement. We have an excellent basketball team, and the volleyball team has been undefeated for the last five years. But your scores have caused much notice among various schools. We hurried here in hopes of meeting you first," said he smiling.

Heero groan inwardly. These morons were building up their school and trying to get first dibs on him. He thought that he had done well on the second test, but he bombed the first test. What on earth did he score?

The two men could see that they were not going anywhere with this line of talk. "Heero," Mr. Bolt began, "Not only are your scores such that you could be accepted, but you could also get a full scholarship...tuition paid, room and board paid, meals paid, your uniforms and school fees paid." He stopped to see if this had any affect on the stoic boy.

Uniforms...great...this school was probably his worst nightmare of a preppy private institute. "I'll think about it," he said blankly.

The men looked at each other, their eyebrows knitted into questions, and excused themselves...they had a shuttle to catch for another colony to see another student–but if he had any questions or decided to go to the institute, then here was their e-mail address.

After they left, Miss Trident gave Heero a very "disappointed" look-disappointed meaning that she had forced her face into a frown. "Heero, those people could get you into one of the best schools in all of the colonies AND Earth put together! Maybe you don't understand, but the Lowery Institute is a marvelous school. Personally, I didn't expect you to do well enough for them to even LOOK at you."

Heero looked straight at her. "They were trying to force me into going to their school simply because they got here first–like a dog marking its territory. I don't like it when other people try to control me," he told her, his face completely serious.

"Well, that does make some since...all teenagers hate to be controlled," she conceded kindly, and heaved a heavy sigh.

"What were my scores?" Heero asked her suddenly.

Miss Trident brightened up and smiled broadly again. "You made a perfect score on the standardized test. The I.Q. test is not measured by a score, but rather what several psychologists think is your I.Q. Just for comparison's sake--100 is average, 120 is intelligent, and 150 is considered so intelligent that it is hard for one to communicate normally...notice that I said normally, not always. Everyone is different. I believe they may score all the way up to 200. According to your test, your I.Q. is 147," she ceased talking for the moment.

Heero thought for a moment, letting what she had said sink in. Okay, so he was supposedly three units away from not being able to communicate with other people according to a test that he bombed. He bet psychologists graded it.

"May I go back to class?" Heero asked.

Miss Trident's eyes widened in shock at the ineffectiveness of her words. "Sure, go ahead," she said, disappointed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero walked back to class slowly, stopping at every water fountain, his mind a cloudy gaze. He could get out, and easily!

He would have to barrow a computer in the library to do some research...if he had free reign of just about any school, he better look into them and decide which he wanted to go to.

Heero stayed after school, his face glued to the computer. He had three hours before work started and he wanted to get some research out of the way. 

He logged on and began his search, thankful that he was extremely computer literate.

Work was boring and the clock hands lazily slithered around in their perfect patterns. Heero could not wait to quit; he couldn't wait to get out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Over the next several weeks, representatives from ten schools came to see Heero and he regularly received fifteen letters at school about various places.

But Heero had made his decision. He had decided to accept the Lowery Institute's offers. That really was the best school–he had checked it thoroughly. He had e-mailed them this morning with his acceptance.

In a couple weeks, Heero would be out of here...he was getting out. 

Somehow, his apartment didn't seem so cold and lonely anymore, and work quite a long and tedious. He was getting out and that was all that mattered.

He was getting out.

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A/N okay, from this point on, I hope that this fic will have a much happier tone to it...just be ready for the major plot line change, you might get confused if I don't write carefully. (cackles evilly) You'll never guess where this story is REALLY going...well...not yet anyway. After this chapter you MIGHT figure it out, but don't count on it–I pride myself on plot twists and unexpected endings (famous last words O.o ).

Oh, that stuff about I.Q. is all true and NO I didn't base it on me...I don't have an I.Q. of 147, although I wish I did. Then maybe I could have had an easier time in all of my AP classes...stupid Tygerlilee took three this year and is taking even more next year!! Geesh...I'm a glutton for punishment...anyway...

Please FEED My BOX!!! IT'S GETTING HARD TO LIVE WITH IT'S WHINING!!


	7. A New Life...

Chapter Seven

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Seven

A New Life...

*Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, but Ms. Sidra Kiloah is MINE. I also don't own the musical Jekyll and Hyde by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse.

I apologize ahead of time for the song ficishness if you don't like it–it just happened. If you do like song fics...I wrote this just for you!!! =)

Heero climbed down the off ramp of the shuttle and scanned his surroundings. This colony, XI-487, was in good repair and the overall population seemed to be well off–middle to upper class–at least from what he could see in the shuttle port.

As Heero shouldered his duffel bag and backpack, a woman in her early twenties wearing khakis and a loose shirt appeared at his feet. "Heero Yuy?" she asked, her voice slightly confused and skeptic.

Heero looked up and nodded. 

She smiled slightly and held out her hand. "I'm Sidra Kiloah. I'm a teacher at the institute and they sent me to pick you up. Normally we have one of the janitors do it, but they all decided to take to day off today," she rolled her eyes at her last comment.

Heero shook her hand they began walking toward the exit and a sleek green Ulysses Model Five. Ms. Kiloah opened the truck and Heero deposited his luggage, then they got in and pulled out onto the road. She flicked on the radio, some oldies song from the sound of it that Heero had never heard before...

A New Life

What I wouldn't give to have a new life.

One thing I have learned as I go through life,

Nothing is for free along the way.

The streets were evenly spaced and neat, trees growing in the median strips separating the different directions of traffic. Many people were riding bicycles or walking, the "sun" shining.

A new start,

That's the thing I need to give me a new heart,

Half a chance in life to find a new part,

Just a simple role that I can play.

They drove through a residential area, a little girl was petting a white house cat and an old woman was watering her roses. They passed an elementary school, where the playground was full of little bodies running and chasing and laughing. Heero smiled inwardly at there carefree lives. 

He was out.

A new hope,

Something to convince me to renew hope.

A new day, bright enough to help me find my way.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ms. Kiloah inquired, the sun caught her short golden-red pony-tail as she turned her head for a split second.

Heero snapped out of his reverie and shrugged. 

"Are you always this quiet, or it that only because I'm a teacher?" she asked him.

"I don't talk if I have nothing to say," Heero said simply.

"Boy, you're sure going to stick out like a sore thumb here," she grinned. "I'm usually about to yank all of my hair out by the end of first period because no one will be quiet, and then when I want them to talk, they don't," her voice sounded exasperated at just the memory.

A new chance,

One that maybe has a touch a touch of romance.

Where can it be, the chance for me?

"Have you received your schedule?" she asked, obviously trying to find a subject that he had something to say about.

"Yes," he said simply.

"Well, can you give me an overview?" she prompted.

"Why?" Heero asked.

"You really are a difficult one aren't you. Geesh, I feel like I'm back at home talking with my little sister...'Go to bed!' why?' Because Mom left me in charge and it's your bedtime!' So!'..." her voice trailed off, hoping that she had made her point. Don't be difficult you little turd because I'm just as stubborn as you and I'm only being nice anyway!'

A new dream,

I have one I know that very few dream.

I would like to see that overdue dream,

Even though it never may come true

"I have AP Calculus, AP English, AP Physics C, some random gym class, drafting, C++...they just transferred my old classes here," Heero told her.

Ms. Kiloah whistled. "Boy, you're going to have a fun time. I don't know how those classes were in your old school, but here, they mean AP when they say AP! Especially the English," she grinned evilly.

"Let me guess, you teach AP English," Heero smirked.

Ms. Kiloah cackled evilly. Heero began to wonder if all of his teachers were going to be this phsyco.

She grinned again at him. She seemed to be much more at ease with him than when she first met him. "Do you like to read?" she asked. "This isn't a loaded question, I promise. I'm just curious what kind of student you are."

Heero shrugged. "I read what I need to get an assignment done. I read when I want to know something. That's about it."

A new love, 

Though I know there's no such thing as true love,

Even so, although I never knew love,

Still I feel that one dream is my due.

"You never read fiction, have you?" she asked.

"Why should I. It has no purpose," Heero explained.

"No purpose? What about enjoyment--is that not a purpose? Or what about unplugging from daily life? Some of the greatest lessons in life can be taught to one through reading," she told him.

A new world,

This one thing I want to ask of you world,

Once before it's time to say adieu world,

One sweet chance to prove the cynics wrong.

Heero just looked strait ahead. "I've never had time for enjoyment' before–at least when I did have time I didn't waste it on reading," Heero told her.

"Well, what did you waste it on?" she asked.

"People," was Heero's straightforward reply.

"People? What a girl?" she pried.

The look Heero gave her forced burst of laughter up. "I guess not," she giggled. "Friends then? No one ever spends time with family, at least not teenagers," she grinned at him.

Heero didn't answer. "Oh, boy. You'll be an interesting addition to my class, I can see that," she smiled again. 

A new life,

More and more I'm sure as I go through life,

Just to play the game and to pursue life,

Just to share its pleasures and belong,

That's what I've been here for all along,

Each day's a brand new life!

"Okay, here we are. Your new home!" she announced happily as she popped her trunk.

As Heero gathered his luggage, he scanned the their location. 

They were parked in front of an older brick building, about five of six stories high. Another one identical to it could be spotted several blocks down. The street was strait arrow, and the landscaping geometric. "All of the boys room here," she informed him. "The girls rooms in that building down the street," she said, pointing down toward the building. "They were originally going to build one big building for everyone, or at least two across the street from each other, but they decided that it might be wise to separate the boys and girls with a little more distance. As if that really does any good...the kids just get sneakier."

Ms. Kiloah held out two keys. "This one," she indicated to the silver one, "is for the main door to the building. Everyone has one and they are numbered and check out. This bronze one is for your room. The buddy system applies here, so you have a roommate. You will go to all your meals with him and you are both expected to keep your room clean.

"He hasn't had a roomy this year, so I suspect that he was adopted into a three-some. He already knows that you're coming, so there won't be any awkward who are you and what are you doing in my room's. His name is Huy Iwasato. He's our school's big basketball star, so be prepared. I don't have him in class though...I think he's in all generals, like most sports maniacs.

"Anyway, you too should get along...but things might be a little...weird for a while," she finished. "I have to get back to class now. Your room is on the third floor. The whole building is one huge box, so you probably won't have trouble finding it. If you do, just wander around and use your common sense. Good luck," she gave him one last fleeting look and got in her car to drive away.

Heero walked up to the entrance and unlocked the main door.

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A/N How was that? The story is only beginning...and you thought that I would end it when he left that dump. I planned on you meeting Huy in the next chapter, but I think that he'll have to wait another one...heh, heh, heh...I'm just waiting for that part. A Gundam Pilot and a Basketball dope, how will they get along?

Also, sorry again for the song, but it just fit so perfectly and I'm a musical/song junkie...if you read any of my parodies that I either have written or will write, you'll see serious evidence of that. ^_~ All of the Jekyll and Hyde songs fit perfectly with this fic, I'm not sure why because this is NOTHING at all like that story, but it does. Also, if you like musicals, I highly recommend Jekyll and Hyde, the music is gorgeous–especially the version with Linda Eder and Colm Wilkinson.

Oh, Kiloah is pronounced KI-Loo-AH, with a kind of Hawaiian twang to it, just as it is spelled. Sidra is pronounced See-dra.

Thank you everyone who has reviewed me thus far!!!! I really need the encouragement so I really appreciate it!!! Unfortunately I'll be isolated from a computer for a couple weeks so it may be three weeks or so until I updated this story. However, I also need to ask for so advice. This story is going to have some fighting scenes in it (not any time soon mind you, I'm envisioning the fighting somewhere around chapter fourteen or so), but I'm really bad at writing them. I took a stab at one in the first fic that I ever wrote (Trowa Smiled), and I'm just not happy with it. Any suggestions? Advice? Please lend some assistance or prepare for really stinky, corny fighting. It's kind of hard to describe something that you've never done. Okay, maybe not never, but those fights with Fyerbelle were just mock fighting so they don't count. 


	8. A New Home...

Chapter Eight

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Eight

A New Home...

*Disclaimer: I don't own GW...etc.

Heero shoved the bronze key into the lock of room C-17. The heavy oak door swung open...the building was obviously build to withstand a lot of abuse...but then teenage boys were living in it.

Heero surveyed the room as he stood in the doorway. A set of bunk beds were situated strait across from him with a window at the foot, the top was unmade. On the wall adjacent to the window were two built in closets–one of them was open, revealing its empty shelves and rod. The wall opposite on that was lined with one desk, littered with paper wads and open notebooks. Heero walked in to see several suits and dress shirts laying neatly on the lower bunk, a note pined to the outer pocket of a jacket.

"Heero Yuy, these are your uniforms," is read in sloppy rushed manuscript.

Heero began to hang up his clothes and unpack his bags when he noticed another desk opposite of the beds...it was empty.

Heero went over to it plopped his backpack heavily on it, and unloaded several books that he had collected...a dictionary, a well worn calculus book, and a collection of famous quotes heavily marked and highlighted. 

A framed picture on the other desk caught Heero's eye. It was a family...must be Huy's family...a Japanese woman sat smiling brightly, a little girl with the woman's blue eyes sitting patiently on her lap and holding an older man's hand, his gaze hard and measured. A boy in his mid-twenties and another girl in her late teens to early twenties stood behind them with goofy grins.

Heero smiled to himself...it didn't appear that his roommate was in the picture. They all looked so happy and similar to each other...blood bonds, Heero concluded, they were powerful things. They withstood distance and heartbreak and loss, some did anyway.

Heero put the picture down and proceeded with his unpacking. 

He would start classes tomorrow, but he didn't even know where the school was. I most likely was just down the street a block or two though.

Heero left the room to explore the building and to become more familiar with it. A community bathroom was at the end of the hall...it looked to be in surprisingly good shape considering that teenage boys used it.

He left the room and continued his aimless wanderings.

He heard a dog bark outside so he made his way downstairs. A golden retriever bounded up to him. He smiled at the animal and scratched its ears lazily. The dog liked his face gleefully.

"Valcor!! Valcor, you stupid dog, where the heck did you run off too?!?!" Heero heard a voice yelling from just out of his sight range.

"I thinks he's over here," he called back.

A sweaty blond girl in a blue tank-top and gray shorts came sprinting up, "Valcor!" she stood in exasperation with her hands firmly on her hips...Heero noticed that she was about his age...shouldn't she be in school.

The dog just panted happily and licked Heero again.

The girl sauntered up and grabbed it by its collar to drag it away. "Thanks, Babe for holding him here," she smiled wanly at him.

"Shouldn't you be in class young man?" she questioned sarcastically. "Or are you skipping out again."

"I'm not Babe' and I start school tomorrow," Heero told her.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I'm sorry, you just look a lot like someone I know! I just assumed that you were him! I'm really sorry–I wasn't hitting on you or anything, I swear," she profusely apologized.

Heero shrugged and started to get up. "Hey, you're new here uh?"

Heero nodded.

The girl grinned. "My name's Etrea Stikas. I have a weird animal class this period, so I get to leave school to take Valcor for a walk. He got run over last year and we fixed his leg, now he lives at the school," she explained. "And you are..." she trailed off, waiting for him to take his cue.

"Heero Yuy," Heero said simply.

"Well, I hope you like it here! It was nice meeting you and Valcor agrees," she gave him one last smile before jogging back to where she had come from, the golden haired dog at her heals. 

Heero turned to go back into the building.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Well, here we go...the story is about to get complicated...what has Tygerlilee gotten herself into this time. (Sighs heavily) Any way...grumble, grumble...that's the box talking, but I've run out of food so would you PLEASE FEED IT!! The dish is right down there!!


	9. Mirror Images

Chapter Nine

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Nine

Mirror Images

*Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of the characters, nor their personalities.

A/N Okay, I know that you all just LOVE hearing from me, so you get an author's note before AND after. Aren't you just so excited!!! Seriously, I just wanted to say good job diamondgirl for picking up on who Etrea thought Heero was (that's a funny sentence). That's really important to this story, and [cackles evilly] you find out about that in this chapter!! RA-HAAAAA-Ha-HAAAAA!!!!!!!! Also, never fear all of you girlfriend-don't-want-ers, I don't plan on a girl in Heero's life, just friends. Might be one in a certain other character's, whom you haven't met yet...but that's still undecided. Something else I need input on–does anyone want to see the other Gundam Pilots? I haven't decided if they should be in this story or not. I have plenty of space to put them in–right now, the way I've planned the story, it's over thirty chapters long. Remember, I warned you that this was going to be a long story. Anyway, on with the story...

After the brief meeting with Valcor and Etrea, Heero wandered around the neighborhood, accidentally stumbling onto a library. He spent the rest of his time there before heading back to his dormitory.

When he opened the door, a boy with shaggy brown hair had his back turned to him at the closet next to Heero's. Heero assumed that this was his roommate, but what struck was the fact that he was of average height. In fact, he was no taller than Heero. He had been expecting some goliath boy with feet as long as his arms.

"Hey, you must be Heero! I'm Huy," the boy said cheerfully as he turned around. 

Heero almost fell backward as he found himself face to face with what appeared to be himself.

Huy's mouth hung open on its hinges as he stared wide-eyed at Heero. Finally, after several minutes of silence, Huy regained control of himself. "Aren't you going to gawk like an idiot back?" he asked, his voice light yet laced with something Heero could not identifyit was almost excitement, maybe? But Heero couldn't understand why.

"No," Heero returned shortly and put a book that he had checked out down on his desk.

He could see Huy raising an eyebrow at him in the corner of his perifieal vision. "Well, I can see that you are a very talkative person," Huy commented sarcastically. "Diner starts in ten, so we had better hurry. Has anyone shown you around yet?" Huy asked, apparently no longer dwelling on their similar appearances, as they left the building.

"No. I've only met a golden retriever and an exasperated student. I believe that she thought I was you," Heero told him.

"Why, who was it? Did she call you Huy or something?" he asked.

"It was a girl named Etrea Stikas, and it was or something,' " Heero answered.

Huy grinned. "Uho. She's cute, especially when she's chasing Valcor," he told Heero with an evil grin as they rounded a corner and crossed a street.

They arrived at the cafeteria some five minutes later, weaving their way through masses of hungry teenagers to the lines. "What classes do you have?" Huy asked as he grabbed a tray.

"Physics, Calculus, English, gym, drafting, a computer language," Heero decided to skip the full titles.

Huy nodded. "Hey, watch out for that gray stuff," he said, pointing to a mass of gray goop in a serving tray. "It's actually pretty good, but I stopped eating it when it hoped off of Jimbo's trayI'll introduce you to Jimbo and everyone else when we sit down Anyway, some of this stuff is scary, like the blue baloney," Huy shuddered at the memory.

Heero nodded, "I'll have to remember all of that."

They squeezed their way to a long table on the left side of the room. Huy grabbed to chairs from another table and handed one to Heero as they sat down at the end next to three other boys.

"Hey Huy, did you figure out" a tall black teenager trailed off as he looked at Huy and Heero.

"Boy, this could be fun," Huy whispered out of the corner of his mouth to Heero. "Did I figure out what?" he asked innocently.

"Hey, man with drinks comm'in through," a plump brown headed boy grinned as he took an empty seat on the other side of the table.

"Hey you guys, this is my new roomy, Heero. Heero, this is Jimbo Brightman," he said pointing to the dark boy, "Neas Abish," he pointed to a tan Arabian, "Kumen Basish," the large blond stared openly at Heero, "and Culver McNeal," he finished as he pointed to a dirty-blond headed boy. 

Kumen's mouth finally snapped shut and Culver asked what they were all wondering. "Any relation?"

"Yuy and Iwasato, do they sound related?" Huy asked.

The boys look incredulous, but apparently decided to drop the subject of Huy and Heero's similar appearances because they didn't mention it again. 

When they returned to the dorms, Heero only new one thingtomorrow was going to be ackward. Everyone seemed to know Huy and that meant that everyone would think that he WAS Huy, but they were completely different. Huy was friendly and talkative, whereas Heero have a look on his face that made you want to ask who's dead now?' .

Those thoughts were banished from Heero's mind as he sat down in a circle with the other five boys learning some stupid card game. He would worry about that tomorrow.

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A/N Who is this Huy guy? Is it possible for them to just look alike, or is there something else going on? You'll have to read to find out!

Please review!!!!!! Tygerlilee 


	10. Out of Breath

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Ten

Out of Breath

*Disclaimer: ho, hum...I don't own um. Wish I did, but Someone else bid....

Heero and Huy reached the cafeteria right as it opened, thus the room was nearly empty.

"Kinda funny how it's jam packed when it opens and dinner, but empty at breakfast," Huy observed, his voice laced with irony. They quickly passed through the line and took a seat at the same place that they had sat at yesterday. 

"Okay, let me see your schedule," Huy mumbled through his cereal. Heero and Huy had come early so that Huy could give Heero a tour of the school. That way he wouldn't get lost. Huy had explained last night that whoever had designed the school was a moron with no sense of space and proportion. Oddball hallways stuck out here and there with a bay window in the middle. If you asked for directions from a student, it was understood that they told you to Walk down yonder, turn left, and go through the green door,' no matter where you were going. 

Huy spewed his food across the table as he scanned Heero's schedule typed on a little note card issued from the main office. "THREE AP's!!!! You're INSANE!! My parents made me take one last year and it was horrible!" Huy's voice rose slightly as he said this.

Heero shrugged and finished his food. 

Huy shook his head solemnly. "It's been nice knowing you, Heero, it really has," he said sadly.

"Why what's going to happen to me," Heero smirked.

"You'll suffocate in a pile of books and homework papers, that's what! Well, at least you have gym first period," Huy smiled brightly. "Hey, you have it with me actually. At least you'll always be able to start your day good!

"Mrs. Ormsby is out from having her baby though, so we have a sub. You're lucky–she really takes her class seriously. We each have to design our own workout program and pass certain fitness qualifications to get an A. But with a sub, we've just been shooting hoops. We picked teams yesterday, but mine is short one so we'll probably get you. Jimbo's in there too. Do you play basketball?" Huy asked, one eyebrow up.

That's a serious question for him, Heero thought. Why does he want to know so badly? 

"With friends and gym only," Heero said quietly. Zoram had been in that class...

"Great! We'll really screw with some people's minds, heh!!" Huy nudged Heero with his elbow. "Well, okay. Nuff chatting, let's see if I can get you thoroughly lost in this blasted school!" Huy said cheerfully.

Ten minutes later Huy was leading Heero around in circles. "Okay, some of the language and lit. classes are down this hall, which circles around and connects with the math hall. The other half of the language and lit. classes are downstairs next to the pool. The science classes are the last room at the end of each hall and the vocational are every-other room down the second hall that way and all downstairs," Huy paused for a second and looked at Heero questioningly. "Do you got all that?" he asked.

"I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually," Heero assured.

"Okay, the lockers are over this way. They're numbered first by the floor level, A through D, D being the first floor and A the top–don't ask me why it's not the other way around because I don't know–and second by the row, that varies with each floor, and lastly by the number in the row."

"BRRRRING! BRRRRRRING!"

Huy jumped five feet as the bell rang–a speaker was right next to his head. "Com'on, let's get to first period," Huy said frustrated as he wiggled his finger in his right ear.

Huy lead Heero to a locker room. Heero pulled his uniform from his backpack and picked a locker, while Huy pulled his from his own locker.

Down the row, Heero heard someone shriek and jump backwards into several lockers. "What was that?" he asked.

"Probably someone forgot to get his sweaty cloths in the wash last time," Huy's muffled voice came through the head hole of his shirt. "There's a Laundromat in the basement of the dorm building, but half of the machines don't work. There's also a community wash. You have to label everything and get it down on time though. That's what most people do–he must have forgotten. Com'on, let's get outside before the smell gets down here," he said as he jumped over a bench in the isle.

Outside on the court, the air was amazingly fresh and clean in comparison to the stuffy locker room. "Hey Iwasato!! Who's your twin?" a voice called from across the court. 

Huy and Heero walked toward a tall, lanky red head with more than a few freckles holding a ball under his arm. "This is my roomy–just transferred in. Heero Yuy, Shez Conor."

"Hey, if you play basketball as much like Huy does as you look like him, then we've got this season made!" Shez said seriously.

"Don't get you're hopes up," Heero warned him. He was actually fairly good, but he was still feeling a bit off.

"Hey Shez, think fast!" a short Indian looking boy yelled as he rolled the ball out of Shez's grasp and proceeded to the basket. Suddenly, the teams, as if by magic, were in their places chasing after the Indian.

"Heero, play center!!" Huy yelled as he took off.

Heero shrugged and joined in. After twenty minutes of play, it was evident to Heero that several of the basketball players were here, that and he was even sicker than he thought. After the first five minutes, he was out of breath–not that he let anyone see. He tried to keep up and his head was swimming.

Don't let me collapse, stay up body! Heero continued to silently push himself.

He could see Huy watching him, along with everyone else. They obviously thought that because he looked like Huy, he would play like him too. 

Tough noogies guys...I'm Heero, not Huy, Heero thought as he lost possession of the ball. Heero found himself thanking whatever deity was in power at this moment when the sub told them that the bell was in five minutes. They all sprinted to the locker room to change.

As Heero turned to go to Physics, Huy stopped him. "Hey, Heero. You remember where to go?" he asked, but his face was tight with worry.

Heero nodded and turned down a hall and vanished.

Huy stayed, as if rooted in place, for half a minute watching Heero leave. His face was scrunched up, a combination of worry and speculation printed on his face. Finally, he shook his head and went to his own class.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Okay, I know exactly where I'm taking the story, and there will be some action in this story. It's not going to be all Heero going to school and meeting people and so on. There's a bit more to it...

Also, Hades, my in-box would like to sincerely thank you for temporarily staving its appetite!! And thanks diamondgirl for your input about the ol' gang coming back. Hugs and...er...MORE hugs to all!! (I didn't think that you'd like kisses...) Thanks bunches!!! =)

Toodles, Tygerlilee =^.^=


	11. Do What You Must To Survive

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter 11

Do What You Must To Survive.

*Disclaimer: I don't own GW and I'm making no money, so get out of my hair. Would someone please tell me I can quit writing these stupid things. They are such a pain the rear-end!

Heero sat down at his desk with his calculus book in front of him as he studied for a quiz the next day. 

His first day had run fairly smoothly, at least as much as it possibly could. He didn't get lost and he didn't collapse; however, several girls had hit on him thinking he was Huy and another guy he had never seen before ran up and started telling him about how great he was in the last scrimmage–of course he meant Huy though.

He also found that he had English with Etrea, and Miss Kiloah was just as insane as she let on the day before. The very first thing she did after the tardy bell was ask him to talk for five minutes about himself. He gave her a look that said you have got to be kidding,' but when she didn't back down, he filled the time with incredibly intelligent comments such as I eat, I sleep, I live in a dormitory,' and so on. Both Miss Kiloah and the class seemed to think that he was hillarious.

His physics teacher was a complete nut case, not as in the way the Miss Kiloah was, but obsessed insane. And you can get a nifty little multimeter to carry in your pocket at Electronics Etceteras. Now look at this electronic fish, the way the wiring is hooked up...' Well, at least he wasn't boring...yet. Heero was sure after he got used to the man, he would feel like giving him a swirlly.

His calculus teacher was fairly normal, when she wasn't insulting the science department and significant digits. That seemed to be an on-going argument between the two subjects. But she was also very strict and for some reason, everyone in Heero's class seemed terrified of her. Heero couldn't figure that one out, but then again, he had never been one to be intimidated by any person–or job for that matter.

He survived C++, but he wasn't sure if he'd have hair by the end of the semester. The teacher was a blithering idiot and Heero knew more than he did, but then again he wasn't exactly an amateur and had broken practically every computer privacy/hacker law known to man.

Drafting was boring beyond belief. All you did was draw boxes with a ruler, well, that was all he had done today and at his old school.

And gym, well...he hadn't collapsed. That was all that mattered.

Suddenly Huy flung open the door and stomped in. Heero kept his eyes glued to his book.

Finally, when he felt Huy glaring down at him from behind and hot breath on his neck, Heero looked up. "What is it?" he asked.

Huy's arms were folded across his chest and he was breathing heavily. "What's up?" he demanded.

"What do you mean?" Heero asked, genuinely confused.

"This morning in gym class. I realize that we don't know each other very well yet and I've no right to pry, but something is physically wrong with you and I'm guessing you playing basketball isn't helping whatever condition you have," Huy fumed.

"I'm fine," Heero said calmly.

"Yah whatever, and I'm sure that if you cut off your arm it would only be a flesh wound. Heero, have you seen a doctor?" Huy demanded. "I would have asked you this morning, but we had to go to class. WHAT IS UP?"

Heero sighed. Huy obviously wasn't going to leave him alone until he gave him an answer. "I'm a little malnourished, that's all. After a couple weeks of full meals and regular exercise, I'll be fine," Heero assured him.

Huy's mouth dropped open. Whatever he had expected to be wrong with Heero, that wasn't it. "Malnourished!" his voice cracked at the word. "How in the heck did you get malnourished?"

"I didn't get enough food," Heero said, his voice clearly saying how else you dope!'

"Ya, but..." Huy didn't seem to know how to phrase his question, but Heero already knew what it was.

"I've been living on colony AV-941. It's going, or already has gone for all I know, bankrupt, thus food and other necessities were really expensive," Heero explained.

"So you and your family just went without?" Huy seemed incredulous.

"I don't have a family, and neither did most of the people there. I was living on part-time minimum wage–I could barely afford an apartment, not to mention food. So I just had two meals a day instead of three and nothing on Saturdays and Sundays," Heero elaborated.

Huy's eyes widened and he shook his head. "How could you live like that?" he wondered aloud.

"You would be surprised what people can do if they must. Humans are survivors–you do what you must to survive," Heero told him. "But some don't survive even so," Heero added quietly–Zoram's face popped into his mind again.

Huy looked up at this, but decided it wiser to not say anything. He had sorely misjudged Heero. He had been expecting something like I'm breaking my marijuana addiction,' not malnutrition!

Heero was so quiet, reserved, and serious; he had assumed him suicidal and depressed–usually drug addictions went along with that. But he wasn't...there was something unique about Heero that he couldn't put his finger on. There was something encouraging. He wasn't what he seemed, that was for sure. 

Huy wondered if he would ever know who and what Heero really was as he watched his roommate absorb himself in his calculus book. 

Do what you must to survive...' Heero had said. Well, Huy thought, he's a survivor and I'm not even sure if I want to know from what.

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A/N Thanks diamondgirl for your vote of confidence! And thanks for reading everyone!! I really hope that I can provide at least some amount of entertainment for you in this fic. Thank you for reading!

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^.^=


	12. The Other Average Boy

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twelve

The Other Average Boy

*Disclaimer: Here we go again...I don't own GW and never will. I ain't mak'in no $, so don't sue...also, I don't own the poem "The Average Child". We read it in my speech class last year, but the paper doesn't have who wrote it on it, so I can't give them credit–sorry.

"Heero, how did you do on that last test?" Etrea asked as she walked between him and Huy on their way to lunch several weeks after Heero first arrived.

Before Heero could answer, a loud slapping noise, much like skin smacking vinyl, riveted off the walls.

"What do you think you're do'in? Huh, you little slut?" a cracking voice echoed through the hall.

"CRAP!! He's doing it again," Huy growled before sprinting down the hallway. Heero and Etrea ran after him to see what again' was.

An average sized boy was standing over a cowering girl. The girl was in tears and apologizing profusely. "We weren't doing anything! I swear!" she shrieked, hick-upping between sobs.

The boy grabbed her by her shirt collar and raised a fist, preparing to strike. "Yah, well it looked like a bit more than that you little...what the!" he yelled as Huy intercepted the punch, holding the boys arm in mid-strike. "Let go of me Iwasato! "

"What for? You'll just beat her again–like you did last time! I warned you that if I caught you hitting another girl again, not just her, that I'd knock the pants off you! Now leave her alone before I make good on my threat," Huy glared back, thus making him look even more like Heero.

The boy looked slightly nervous, but he was standing his ground–verbally. He wasn't stupid enough to challenge Huy physically. "You think you're so tough Mr. Star-basketball-player! Funny how such a short little yellow boy can be so big out there–but then again, it's all steam. I hear that Jimbo's getting all the attention. You jealous Iwasato? You're getting put on the back burner with all the other average players. I would be jealous if I were you. All you guys with average height will never be anything!"

"Hn. You ignorant little twerp! You hear' rumors. Besides, Jimbo's a friend. One doesn't let competition get in the way!" Huy yelled back.

The boy's verbal assault wasn't getting the reaction he wanted, so he decided to pick on a different aspect of Huy. "You're just another stupid jock anyway Iwasato. One day you'll get old an decrepit and you'll starve because you haven't brains enough to flip hamburgers!" he spat nastily.

"Well, I'm not any girlfriend beater and that alone makes up for any handicaps! You're a coward who'd get jealous if his shadow got to close to your girl," Huy gritted back through his clenched teeth. His shoulders were rolled back like a cat preparing to pounce.

The boy sneered and walked off, leaving his sobbing girlfriend huddled on the floor. He obviously realized the imminent danger he was in and decided not to push his luck–Huy was unnaturally strong and it was rumored that he had a black belt too.

Etrea hurried to the girl and helped her up as Huy stood staring angrily at the direction that the boy had just left.

Heero watched silently.

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Heero walked to the little park across the street from the girl's dorm building and sat down at the far end under a tree. He pulled out the newest essay that Miss Kiloah was having them write, when he noticed Huy sitting on a bench staring at his shoes.

Heero narrowed his eyes and got up to join him. He stood in front of Huy and looked down at him until his roommate took notice of his presence.

"What do you want Heero?" he asked softly.

"Don't you have basketball practice?" Heero inquired.

"I told the coach I was sick. I've never missed one before, so he let me off," Huy said solemnly. He let out a harsh ironic laugh, forced through his nose. "He'll probably run me to death tomorrow though," he said bitterly, his face turned away from Heero.

"Shouldn't you be resting if you're sick," Heero stated the question.

Huy looked up at Heero's face, his eyes slitted into a facade of disbelief. "What do you want? Are you messing with my mind? Is that it–why don't you just leave me alone and, and, solve some calculus problems," he spat out the word calculus as if it were a fatal disease.

Heero sat down on the bench next to Huy and picked up Huy's English Literature book. There were several papers stuck in here and there–Huy was using his book as a folder too. Heero took out the paper on top and read it to himself, while Huy continued to stare at him with a mixture of anger and disgust and annoyance.

The paper was a poem. "What's this?" Heero wondered aloud.

"None of you're business. You never answered my question. What do you want?" Huy was really getting annoyed now–why couldn't Heero just leave him alone?

"The Average Child," Heero began to read.

"Stop, just put it away," Huy's voice sounded slightly panicked as he reached for the paper.

Heero held it out of Huy's reach and continued to read, 

"I don't cause teachers trouble

my grades have been okay.

I listen in my classes

And I am in school every day."

*Crash* Huy's books feel into the dirt as he lunged for Heero.

"My teachers think I am average

my parents think so too.

I wish I didn't know that

Cause there is lots I would like to do.

"I would like to build a rocket

I have a book that tells you how,

Or start a stamp collection

well no use in trying now."

Heero had to pause for a moment while he stood up on the bench and pushed the now nearly frantic Huy away from him, causing him to fall heavily into the dust. 

"Cause since I found I am average

I am just smart enough you see 

To know there is nothing special

That I should expect of me.

"I am part of the majority

who listen for the bell

and spend their time unnoticed

in an average kind of hell."

Heero paused and looked down at the infuriated dust-covered Huy. "What that guy said about you and the basketball team is true, isn't it," he said calmly.

Huy glared and got up, dusting himself off. "That poem has nothing to do with anything! My English teacher ran copies of it off for everyone. I just stuck it in there!"

Heero looked at Huy–his eyes piercing and cold. "You're a terrible liar, Huy. You think of this kid as you, don't you." Again Heero wasn't asking, but telling.

Huy looked back down to his shoes. "What would you know about that anyway Heero. You're not average–you're the smartest guy I know. You'll never have any problems with anything. Crap, your writing is amazing too. You can go places and be whatever you want. Just leave me alone," Huy said sulkily.

"Huy, what makes you think you're average? What makes someone average in the first place?" Heero asked after a moment of thought.

"I used to be abnormally tall for my age, but then everyone else grew and I didn't. I can play basketball, but only to a certain level. Once you get advanced enough, you HAVE to have height, so I'll always be average from this point on. And that guy was right–I am a dumb jock. Crap, I'm barely surviving with grades just high enough to stay on the team!" Huy sighed bitterly. 

"But then you wouldn't know what it feels like to not understand stuff–you always do so good. Man, now I'm hardly a jock anymore! I'm not playing as much, and we're just scrimmaging right now–not even the actual season!" Huy sunk down into the bench slouching as far down as he could.

"You didn't answer my other question–What makes someone average?" Heero repeated his question.

"How can you talk about not answering questions? You never answered mine!" Huy said angrily.

Heero looked back at the poem in his hand. "Have you ever asked for help with your homework?" Heero asked.

"Yah, dozens of times, but no one can explain things to me. Nothing makes any sense!" Huy said bitterly.

"You've never asked me," Heero said pointedly.

Huy snorted. "Are you offering to help me?" he asked, his voice wary.

"If you want me to help you, I will," Heero offered.

Huy looked at his dusty hands and closed his eyes for a second, then nodded. "Alright Heero. I'll take you up on your offer," he said seriously.

Huy grabbed the English book from the dust and grass and flipped through several pages until he reached a section of John Donne's writings. "What the HECK is this guy saying? I don't get it. What does he mean the ask not whom the bell tolls for, it tolls for thee' and all of that gobbledygook?"

"Do you really want to go ahead and get started now with this?" Heero asked.

Huy nodded and Heero began to explain. "The problem with literature interpretations is that they are all speculation and opinions. That might be your problem in Lit class. Most teachers have an obnoxious arrogant attitude that their opinion is correct and everyone else's is wrong. The key is to figure out what they want to hear and give it to them. The only teacher I've ever had who isn't like that is Miss Kiloah, but teachers like her are very rare. A teacher I had at my old school liked very strange stuff, so I wrote about the little dents that spiky high-heeled shoes make in floors. 

"In this, in my opinion thus not necessarily the correct one, he's saying that everyone has an influence on each other. Everyone is connected by that influence, so if someone dies, some of that influence is lost and, in reality, part of you dies with them. That's just one interpretation," Heero finished.

"Yah, that's what I thought, but teach said that I was wrong," Huy said more to himself than to Heero.

"That's because you think in that way and the teacher thinks in another. Either interpretation could be correct. Unfortunately, the teacher gives you the grade, so you have to understand what they think and how," Heero reminded him.

"Huy, if it's any consolation, I don't think that you're stupid. I just think that you have problems perceiving how other people think and that makes it hard for you to comprehend their explanations," Heero told him.

Huy looked up and smiled at Heero, the corner of his mouth raised into a smile.

"Why don't we go to the dorm and get your Pre-Cal book," Heero suggested.

Huy nodded.

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A/N That was not the fight scene that I was referring too...but it's getting closer, sort of. This story just keeps getting longer and longer! Right now I'm planning on over thirty chapters! Wooh!! Anyway, I won't leave you hanging, but if I don't get this story done before school starts then the breaks between chapters will be longer, Alexandra. Diamondgirl, I'm glad you like it so much! Thank you for your comments!! Thank you SO MUCH everyone who has been reviewing me. It really keeps me going. Thanks for sticking with me this far and tell me if I'm getting long winded or boring so that I can spice things up!! I tend to get like that sometimes (just ask Fyerbelle–she'll tell you!). 

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^.^=


	13. Something to Protect

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Thirteen

Something to Protect

*Disclaimer: Alright, I admit it–GW isn't mine!! Sob, sob...not really though. What would I do with it if I did own it? Seriously!! What the heck can you do with a cartoon that's already been completed and mistranslated and exploited?

"Alright, today we begin the exciting world of French literature!" Miss Kiloah rubbed her hands together with a look on her face that Heero really didn't like. "So, I thought we'd start out with _The Hunchback of Notre Dome_. As everyone read it last week, it should be fresh on our minds. After that, we will move to _The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, _and _The Man In The Iron Mask._ Then, we will read random essays and poetry which I have not decided on yet!" she smiled brightly at her victims.

Heero didn't even want to know what she was planning...

"The cin' and cout' represent..."

Heero tuned out his C++ teacher and began to work on his assignment for that night discretely. He already knew all of this stuff anyway, and the homework was written on the board. But that didn't take him long, so he had time to let his mind wonder...falling back to Miss Kiloah's class. He REALLY didn't like the sound of their projects...

"Teachers, please excuse the interruption," the intercom sounded "for the end of day announcements. Cross country and girls soccer practices today after school. A Tennis match at home is at four thirty. Coach Lady will be selling tickets for the Freley home football game on Friday..."

Heero put all of his books in his book-bag and tuned out the rest of the announcements, waiting for the bell.

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Heero sat at his desk in the dorm–calculus book open. 

"Man, don't they ever lighten up!! First it's an essay, then a poster, then a speech, and THEN we're back to essays again. ARRRRRGGGG!!!!" Huy ranted as he tossed his bag on top of his desk.

"Well then you had better get busy," Heero told him, not looking up.

"I know, I know. Don't you ever STOP working?" he asked looking over.

"If I have finished everything, I stop," Heero said flatly.

Huy sighed and fished through his bag. "Heero, could you do me a favor?" he asked, holding a paper in his hand.

"Depends. What is it?" Heero asked.

"I need you to read this essay for me." Huy explained.

"Yes," Heero turned away from his homework to take the paper from Huy.

Heero turned back to his desk and pulled out a pen to mark it with. "I kinda got a little informal, but that was because of the subject. I think I'm a little too fond of my family," Huy told Heero.

"I noticed," was the simple reply. "What was the topic, Brag on your family in five hundred words or more'?"

"Ha, ha. No. It was basically write about how your family and upbringing have affected you and your life."

"Strange topic," Heero murmured.

"No kidding."

"I take it that that's them in your picture," Heero said motioning to the framed picture on the shelf of Huy's desk.

"Yah," he said, picking up the frame. "That's my Dad, he's pretty strict guy and none to loveable–kind of like you!! He, he...bad joke, anyway...That's my Mom–she worries WAY too much, but then again, all mom's do. That's my big brother, Toshihiko, but we always call him Toshi–hee, hee–but he doesn't really care. He's in his fourth year of college right now. Then that's Gina–she's a sophomore in college, and Yachi. She's the baby, only eight, but she's good for Mom and Dad. Anyway, I know you didn't ask for that explanation, but so what," Huy shrugged.

"You said that you don't have a family earlier. What did you mean?" Huy asked abruptly.

"I meant that I don't have one," Heero said simply. "That's all."

"No, I mean are you an orphan or put in foster care? What? Why don't you have a family?"

"I don't know--I've just never had a family," Heero explained.

"But you were born right. Therefore, at one time you had a Mom, even if it was only for a minute, you still had one. Did she give you up for adoption?" 

"Congratulations, you used a fairly large word," Heero muttered.

"Ha, ha, ha. You didn't answer my question--again. That's a really bad habit of yours isn't?"

"I don't know. I told you, as far as I know, I've never had a family."

"So who took care of you when you were a baby?" Huy wondered.

"I can't remember that far back."

Huy let out a huge sign and shrugged his shoulders in exasperation. "Can't I EVER get a straight answer from you?"

Heero didn't answer, but continued to mark up the essay. 

Huy started to say something else, but then stopped, as if thinking better of it. Then he finally asked, "If you didn't and don't have a family to fight for, why did you fight in the wars?"

Heero looked up at him, his eyes narrowed. "Oh come on Heero!! It wasn't that hard to figure out. You're all quiet and serious and philosophical," Huy said, wiggling his fingers by his head, eyes wide with sarcasm. "Seriously Heero, I just had to think a little. But back to my question, why did you fight?"

Heero looked at the picture of Huy's family still in Huy's hands. "I did have something to protect," Heero said as he turned back to his desk. "It just wasn't a person." Then he added quietly, "not at first anyway." 

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"Sanctuary, sanctuary..." Heero grunted. He was not happy, standing there on top of her desk holding a rag doll above his head and his untucked shirt stuffed with what appeared to be couch cushions. 

Several people giggled and sniggered behind their large paperback books.

"Oh come ON Heero, put a little more FEELING into it!" Miss Kiloah tried to force the upturned ends of her mouth down.

Heero glared. I'll give you feeling, alright, Heero thought.

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A/N Ho-hum...you know the drill... Oh, except, just so you know, Toshi is actually a girl's name, which is why they (the children in Huy's family) tease him with it. Please review and thanks for reading.

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	14. Must Pee...

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Fourteen

Must...pee...

Disclaimer: It ain't mine...sob, sob...

"Once you've cut out the pieces, tape the sides together and fit it over your head like a breastplate. You can design your own swords and shields. In those days, everyone's sword and shield was unique. They carried symbols, engravings, and such which distinguished them from others. Often, the higher up on the social scale you were, the more elaborate they were. Be creative!" Miss Kiloah instructed everyone, talking rather loudly to be heard over the scraping of desks and chairs. Everyone was shoving them to the sides of the room to make space for drawing, cutting, and taping. After making their breastplates and swords and shields, they were going to have a mock battle, imitating a scene from _The Tree Musketeers_. 

"Ow!! Watch what you're cutting Etrea!" Culver yelled after she accidentally' snipped at his hand.

"Well then keep your hand off of my card board!" she returned haughtily.

Heero sat Indian style and snipped out a large square and what looked like a cross with and extremely long end.

"Real creative arms, Heero," Etrea giggled at his handy work.

Heero looked up at her through his bangs and shrugged as he proceeded to cut out a scythe and machete. 

"Very interesting Heero, but I believe I only said to cut out a sword and shield for your arms. But to each his own..." Miss Kiloah smiled down at him. Heero snorted.

"Everyone finished?" Miss Kiloah asked, looking around at everyone. "Good! If your cardboard had a red dot on the back then go to the left side of the room, you are the Musketeers' side. Everyone else is the opposing. You're on the right. Several of you should have names on the backs that tell if you have a main part. We went over the script the other day, if you will recall, so you should know your parts. Ready? Go!!" she yelled.

The room erupted into mass chaos. Most people laughed and playfully swatted at each other, others mock fought planting fake punches and such. Etrea was having a fine time with a handsome dark headed boy, giggling madly every time he made a mock stab at her and missed, hitting her shield. However, several people seemed to be taking this battle seriously and were actually fighting. Culver dived for Heero, brandishing his long, lop-sided chunk of cardboard. "LEAH!!" he yelled.

Wrong book you idiot, Heero thought to himself as he rolled out of the way easily. 

"Draw you scurvy scum!!" he yelled, stabbing at the ground and bending his sword so that is was bent over, but that didn't dampen Culver's enthusiasm in the least as he dived for Heero again.

Heero stood up and shook his head. 

Miss Kiloah was sitting cross-legged on her desk apparently thoroughly enjoying the scene. Indeed, she seemed to be very upset by the ringing of the bell.

As English was very unusual, the rest of the day paled in comparison until the football game that night when Huy got a bit overexcited...

"Oh, come on! That moron–what does he think he's doing!!" Huy yelled.

Everyone was getting excited, tempers were short, and all were jumping up and down. The two teams were about evenly matched.

"Chill Huy," Jimbo grabbed his shoulder and attempted to push the Japanese boy back into his seat.

"CHILL!! It's NOVEMBER in case you've forgotten! And, that moron...he just...I mean..." Huy stuttered.

"Feeling articulate today, are we?" Culver teased and Jimbo shook his head in amazement at Huy's amazing ability to jump from on subject to the next without missing a beat. 

"When is Heero coming back with those drinks anyway? I'm FREEZING!" Culver whined, his English accent more pronounced then usual.

Jimbo shrugged. "Maybe he got lost. I'll go and find him. Culver, keep Huy down. I said down boy!!" Jimbo yelled as Huy started to stand on his seat to see better.

"GO, GO, RUN, YOU FAT LAZY HUNK OF FAAAA..."

Culver grabbed Huy's pant leg and yanked. Huy landed hard on his rear end and look up dumbly at Culver. "What was that for?"

Culver buried his face in his hands and sighed. Jimbo laughed and walked off to the concession stands in search of his stoic friend. 

After climbing the stairs, and weaving through people, Jimbo found Heero in the front of a line being questioned by a pretty teenage girl at the cash register while their hot chocolate was laying on a back table. "So, do you play football at all, or just a spectator?" she asked, flipping her hair.

"Listen, just give me the drinks. I have to go." Heero did not look happy.

Jimbo couldn't help but snicker at the sight. An innocent girl attempting to flirt with a rock...hmmm. He couldn't decide if he should let it go on just to see the result, or rescue the girl. It was obvious which would be more fun, but that girl was clueless–she might get hurt...

"Heero, what happened? You get lost or something?" Jimbo inwardly sighed. Oh well, he might as well save to poor girl...

The girl looked up and smiled broadly at Jimbo. "Give me the drinks," Heero demanded irritably again.

The girl shrugged and handed them over, evidently giving up on him.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself," Jimbo teased as they walked back to their seats.

"Ya, about as much fun as watching wallpaper dry," Heero said flatly.

Jimbo burst out laughing.

"Man with drinks, comm'in through!" Jimbo shouted, clearing the way as the climbed over knees, bags, and various other objects, working steadily toward Huy and Culver, Heero trailing behind him.

Culver immediately jumped out of his seat to let them pass, grabbing a cup of hot chocolate. He gulped it down and then promptly shrieked, his mouth burning.

"Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon..." Huy chanted softly. "YAHHHHH.... NOOOOOO!!" he suddenly changed tone. 

"Here's your hot chocolate and sprite," said Jimbo, handing it to Huy.

"Oh, thanks..." he said nonchalantly taking them from his friend and combining them into one cup. Culver wrinkled his nose.

"What did you do that for?" he asked, disgusted.

"Huh?" Huy said stupidly, having snapped temporarily out of his reverie. "Oh, it cools the hot chocolate down and puts a little spunk into it. Wanna try?" he offered, holding it out to Culver, who cringed. Huy took that as a no and returned his attention to the game, staring straight ahead, not blinking.

Huy stood outside the bathroom dancing around, his knees bent inward, waiting for the line to subside and his friends to get out of the stands. He had had about five too many hot chocolate/sprites and took a mad dash after the game to the bathroom–only to find a rather depressing line. He had left the guys in the dust and they were still making their way up.

"HEERO!!" Huy heard someone yell, and before he could even turn to see who it was, he felt himself lifted off the ground in very, very sweaty arms.

"Ug...my...bladder..." Huy gasped croakily.

He felt himself being placed back down. He massaged his throat and crossed his legs and look up to see a VERY LARGE boy in the remains of a football uniform. "Heero, I didn't think that I'd ever see YOU again!"

"No, you've made a mistake. I'm not..." the boy cut him off.

"Quit teasing me, you old thistle! I was wondering what happened to you. We'll have to switch addresses," the boy said excitedly.

Huy was beginning to panic. "No, you see, I'm not, HEERO!!" Huy took a running leap and hid behind Heero. "He's happy to see you Heero," Huy said, pointing from behind his body shield.

"Gadeth?" Heero halfway asked.

"What the...what is he? Your long lost twin?" the boy, apparently named Gadeth asked.

"No, and since you two have now found each other, I'm just going slip off," Huy said, running for an empty bathroom stall (he had heard a toilet flush...).

"Gadeth, shouldn't you be with the team? The game just ended," Heero commented.

"Yah, I know, but I kind of had to..." Gadeth was cut off.

"45, get your butt over here!!" a very angry voice yelled over in their direction.

"Oops," he said, looking over his shoulder. "I'd better get going before someone dismembers me. You got a piece of paper...then we can write or something..."

"Who was that guy!! I thought that he was going to squeeze the pee outta me!" Huy said, very panicked at the memory. "LITERALLY!!!"

They were walking back to their dorms, now that the game was over and Huy had emptied his bladder.

"He's an old friend from that last place I lived before here," Heero told him.

Huy nodded, understanding the full meaning of this, but the others didn't. Kumen hadn't joined them after the game because the coach wanted to give them all a good yelling at for losing, and Neas hadn't come at all–he was cramming for a test. "He's one biiiiiig guy," Jimbo commented, stating the obvious.

"Yah, no kidding. Now I know what it feels like to be hugged by a large sweaty football player. Sometimes I seriously consider getting plastic surgery! It's painful to look like you, Heero!" Huy shuddered. "Does he do that often?"

"No. He was just happy to see a familiar face. He's very self-conscious and pretty awkward around new places and people. I hope he's doing okay at his new school," Heero wondered aloud, his voice slightly tinted by concern.

"Well I hope so too, for that sake of all those poor souls who happen to resemble someone he once knew!!"

"Geesh Huy, aren't we feeling vindictive tonight," Culver observed sarcastically. 

"Ya well, you don't look like Heero AND you didn't have to use the bathroom!" Huy defended.

"Well, he also didn't guzzle fifty gallons of liquid!" Jimbo jumped in.

"I did not drink FIFTY–I'll have you know–only five!!"

"Oh dear...we've damaged his pride..." Culver muttered.

"Shut up."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N You like silly pointless chapter? Yes? No? I've already got another on the way...hehe...

Also, I want to apologize for the short chapters. School and work are insane right now and I really don't know how fast I can get these chapters out–updates will probably be few and far between during school, but will pick up a little during holidays (assuming I'm not working all the time!). If you would like me to e-mail you whenever I update, please say so in either your review or write me at tygerlilee84@hotmail.com.

I swear I do not have writer's block, I just simply don't have time to write. Please be patient, and again, I'm very sorry. Thank you for reading and I hope that you won't get annoyed and quit reading before I get to the end. I'm rather proud of this fic.

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	15. Collapse...Take Two

Blood Bonds

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Fifteen

Collapse...Take Two

Disclaimers: Man am I sick of writing these...I don't own GW or any of the characters. And just so you knowI am writing this as Fyerbelle holds a gun to my headshe read the first part and won't leave me alone until I finish it Oh, for anyone who doesn't know, Fyerbelle is my little sister, fellow author, and editor. She's very spastic..er [sweatdrops as she glances behind to the plastic pellet gun held at her temple] I mean, REALLY WONDERFUL!! SHE'S A GODDESS!! [to readers: is she gone yet?] Anyway, on with the story

Heero stopped at his locker after leaving the school's library. He had stayed late to finish up on a project–finals were still a month away so all of his teachers were getting their semester projects out of the way to leave time for studying later on.

He paused to lean against his locker. He was feeling woozy again and his sight kept blurring up on him. 

Stop it, don't even think about fainting body, Heero warned himself. 

He loaded up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, the force nearly knocking him over. Then he turned to leave, but was forced to stop every couple of yards to let his vision clear. 

I had better get back quickly, Heero thought nervously as he paused at the water-fountain.

It took him fifteen minutes to make his way outside into the cool night air. The school grounds were deserted–most everyone had left three hours ago and it was nearly dark. He could feel the chilly November breeze brush against him and hear a dog bark from across the street. He took a deep breath of the fresh air and felt much better.

I'll be okay, he thought–extremely relieved.

Heero strode down the stairs, his pace returning to normal when suddenly the concrete seemed to disappear from underneath him as he felt a cold hard surface crack against his cheek. Then, everything was black.

Anyone who passed at that time would have seen a dark-haired boy lying face down on the cement stairs to a school, backpack still pressing heavily down on him as the cool November night continued to descend on the street. But no one was passing...

"And now, please give your attention to the lovely Catherine and her..." the rest of what the ringmaster was saying was drowned by the cheering crowd. Kumen, Neas, Jimbo, and Huy sat towards the back of the stands, their laps' full of cotton candy, caramel apples, popcorn, and peanuts.

"Whoa! How did she do that?" Jimbo asked, spewing peanuts in every direction.

"I don't know...I think I blinked," Huy said despairingly.

"Hehe..."

"What are you laughing about *now* Neas?" Kumen inquired of the Arabian, starting to become worried. He had been laughing like a maniac all night.

"I was just thinking about poor Culver and Heero stuck in the library all night working on their English projects." He grinned at no one in particular.

Huy and Kumen shook their heads as Jimbo patted Neas on the back. "What?" Neas asked, looking blankly at his comrades' expressions.

"We just think that you've been in A.P. Biology too long, that's all," Huy explained.

Neas rolled his eyes and focused on the pretty redhead flipping from elephant to elephant.

"How much can that boy EAT?" Huy asked in an undertone after Kumen ran back to the concession stands.

"Beats me," Jimbo shrugged. "Kayla!!" he yelled suddenly. "Hey guys, I'll be right back. I wanna talk to her..." and he ran off to greet a petite blond.

Huy folded his arms behind his head and paced around in a four-foot square. The circus had just ended and he wanted to go back to his dorm. Heero might be missing him...hehe...he loved teasing him. He got really stressed sometimes–he never showed it, nevertheless, Huy had gotten to where he could read his stoic roommate's feelings.

"Will you QUIT that! Geesh, I'm getting dizzy just WATCHING you, Huy!" Neas complained as he grabbed Huy's shoulders to stop him from pacing.

Huy glared at him. "Well, I've gotta do SOMETHING while we wait for Jimbo to finish flirting and Kumen to buy out the stands!!" That's when he looked over Neas's shoulder to see a tall Latin boy with very unusual bangs springing from his forehead give him a slight wave and nod.

Huy looked over at him and nodded back politely, his eyebrows knit together in confusion. Neas turned to look at what Huy was staring at only to watch a crowd of utterly unremarkable people walk quickly here and there. "What?" Neas asked.

"Some guy, he just waved at me..." Huy trailed off.

"Hmm. You didn't recognize him?"

"Uh-ahn," he said, still staring at the spot where the boy had stood.

Neas shrugged. "Maybe he had the hots for you," he suggested.

"WHAT!! EWWWW!!! Don't even SUGGEST something like that!" Huy snapped out of his reverie by what was such a revolting idea to him. Neas snickered softly. "That's NOT funny Neas! Ug," Huy shuttered.

"Maybe it's you who's got the hots for him," Neas posed.

Huy looked over at him, his features molded into an expression of ultimate disgust. "What makes you think *that*?"

"Well, you keep staring at where he was standing. Why else would you do that?"

"Because I..."

"Okay, I'm ready to go!" Kumen declared in his loud lusty voice, cutting Huy off. He had Jimbo by the arm, having drug him from the blond girl.

"Great, it'll keep Huy from exploring his new found tastes," Neas joked.

Jimbo and Kumen looked at Huy, faces perplexed. Huy rolled his eyes, indicating that Neas was just teasing as they left through the outer gates.

Then Huy thought back to the boy. 

I was staring because of his expression. I know that expression...it was just like...just like Heero's....Huy thought.

When Huy unlocked his dorm, Heero wasn't there. 

Geesh, how late is he gonna stay out? Huy wondered. He sighed and changed into sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, grabbed a couple textbooks and climbed into bed. I'll just finish my homework until I fall asleep....

RAHN! RAHN! RAHN!

A pre-calculus book went flying across the room at the offending alarm clock. "Too early..." Huy mumbled through his sheets.

Unfortunately for Huy, and fortunately for the clock, he missed and it kept on ringing. Grumbling groggily, Huy stumbled off of his top bunk and turned off the clock, flicking on the light and pulled out a change of clothes. "Com'on Heero, it's time to get up..." he slurred, zipping his khakis. 

When he didn't hear Heero after knotting his tie, he started to get annoyed. Heero slept normally was and extremely light sleeper, but once in a while he slept like a rock and it was such a pain to wake him when he did. "Heero, I your gonna be late! Get up..." he trailed off as he looked over to Heero's made bed.

"Wha..." Huy looked around the room as if expecting Heero to jump out from the closet. "Heero?" he asked, lifting up the edge of Heero's blanket, checking under the bed. 

Huy stood motionless in thought for a minute, then quickly ran out of the room and into their assigned bathroom. "HEERO!! YOU IN HERE!!" he yelled over the noisy showerheads. The room was steamy with the hot water and the mirrors were fogged. "HEERO!!!"

"HE'S NOT IN HERE HUY, SO SHUT UP!!" Neas's annoyed voice yelled over the running water.

"SORR-EE!!" Huy yelled back and shuffled back to his room. 

Where in the heck is that guy? Huy wondered.

About the time Huy finished breakfast and still hadn't seen Heero, he started to get REALLY worried. The bell rang and he sprinted to first period.

Heero wasn't there. 

Heero never skipped class.

Heero hadn't come home' last night.

Huy ran up to his teacher, Mrs. Ormsby, the recently de-preganatized'. "Mrs. Ormsby, I..."

The dark woman was speeding around the room, dragging out various pieces of equipment. "What is it Huy, spit it out," she said impatiently.

"I..." Huy was having trouble keeping up with her and talking at the same time. "I need to go to the office," he finally told her.

"What for?" she asked as she tossed several basketballs over his head.

"Uh, I don't feel well," he lied. He seriously doubted that she would let him out because his roommate was missing. She'd just say that they (both Huy and the roommate) were skipping class.

She stopped for a second, tapping her foot impatiently.

Man, she's like a hamster...always run, run, run...Huy thought idly.

"You don't *feel* well?"

"Yes ma'am," Huy told her earnestly.

She shook her head and looked at her feet. "Aaalll riiight, I guess you can go see the school NURSE...you don't go to the office if you're sick," she said, eyeing him suspiciously through her matted bangs. She pulled a pad of paper out of her pocket and hurriedly scribbled a note.

Ripping it off, she handed it to Huy and he sprinted out of the gym.

Crap, I'll have to get the nurse to sign this for me...Huy cursed silently as he swung his weight around the corner.

"Ms. Prendergast, I ah..." he began.

"YOU!! What are you doing back here! I thought I just sent you off!! How did you get back!!!" a well-endowed elderly, gray-haired woman cut him off.

"What? The last time I was in here was two and a half years ago Ms. Prendergast! Remember? Paper wad up the nose?" Huy prodded at her memory.

The woman's eyebrows suddenly formed one as she glared suspiciously down at him, hands firmly on her hips. "What is your name kid?"

"Huy Iwasato," he told her blankly.

What's going on? Why does she think that she's already seen...OH MY GOSH!! 

It suddenly dawned on Huy what happened.

"Ms. Prendergast, the guy you sent out wasn't me–he just looks like me. That was my roommate Heero Yuy. Can you tell me where his is?"

"YOUR roommate looks just like you?" One of her eyebrows was arched practically into her poofy silver curls.

Huy nodded. "He's been missing since last night and I'm really worried about him."

"Is that why you are here? Looking for him?"

Again, Huy nodded.

"Let me see that note in you hand," she insisted, holding out a hand for the paper.

Huy looked down at his hand and jumped slightly as he saw the yellow paper, as if he had forgotten that it was there. "Oh, here...," he held it out to her.

She snatched it and read it. "I says here that you aren't feeling well."

"I'm not! You see, I'm just so worried about Heero that I've made myself sick, so you can make me all better just by telling me what happened to him and then I'll be okay!" He smiled hopefully up at the stern woman.

Crapshe's not buying it, Huy began to panic and his smile drooped. Heero could be hurt! Why won't she tell me anything about him? Okay then, desperate times call for desperate measures! he thought grudgingly. 

"Oh come on! Please!! I already told you've I've been worried SICK!! What happened, where is he?" Huy asked her, his voice dripping with emotion as he drooped his eyes and the corners of his mouth.

Hehe, no one can resist the eyes,' Huy cackled inwardly.

"If he's been missing since yesterday, why didn't you call the office or police or someone else?"

"I thought maybe he was still at the school library. He went there to work on a project. It was when he wasn't there this morning that I got really worried!" Huy explained.

Suddenly the phone rang. "You stay put mister," the nurse said pointedly to Huy as she hustled off to the phone.

Heero, you poop-head!! Where are you! I'm about to get myself neck deep in trouble for your sorry hind-end!! Huy ranted silently.

The older woman suddenly reappeared in the room. "You roommate was found unconscious this morning on the back stairs of the school by one of the janitors. We sent him to the hospital–and that was just them. He's woken up and they want someone to pick him up-- that's all they'll say on the phone. If you want to you can come down there with me..." she offered.

Huy nodded for the millionth time that day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N I survived–even though Fyerbelle did switch to a sword halfway throughtell me if you like or don't like. Aren't you glad that I didn't do a chapter break before Huy found Heero? Hehethat would have been VERY evil wouldn't? Also, I accidentally put chapter 14 in three times, and I can't delete them, so please forgive me if I've gotten your hopes up. Anyway, please review! 

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee [get AWAY Fyerbelle!! Down girl!! I'm too ticklish for my own good]


	16. EAT YOUR SPINACH!!

Blood Bonds 

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Sixteen

EAT YOUR SPINACH!!

Disclaimer: Heero ain't mine, but I do have some plastic DBZ people like Gohan, Goku, Vegita, Piccolo, the Great Sayinman, Goten...

**Sorry about the format!! My computer gets screwy sometimes.

Huy climbed into the passenger seat of a light blue car with a very geometric frame next to the cranky and motherly school nurse.

"Buckle your seatbelt," she instructed.

"I DID," Huy muttered.

"And don't fiddle with the window."

"I'm NOT," he gritted through his teeth.

Huy tried to relax during the ten minute drive, but Ms. Prendergast kept nagging him about how kids need to do their homework more' and that he should have reported that his roommate wasn't in by curfew'. He nearly bit off his tongue to keep form yelling. 

He breathed a huge sigh of relief when they finally arrived at the tall, white building and walked up to the information desk. "He's on floor number five, room number D-36," a young nurse read off the computer.

"They haven't discharged him yet?" Ms. Prendergast asked.

"No, they wanted to have a word with you first. I'm to alert the doctor of your arrival–he'll meet you at the patients room," she instructed.

Ms. Prendergast nodded sharply and yanked Huy by the arm, striding over to the elevators.

The elevator took them and a tall blond man with a long scar over his left eye wearing a white lab coat up to the fifth floor. All three people got off and strode down the hall in the same direction. As they continued down the hall, Huy noticed the man kept giving him sideways glances, but as a they arrived at Heero's door, he disappeared. 

That was weird, Huy thought, looking over his shoulder, trying to shake it off.

"I assume that you are Ms. Prendergast." The sharp female voice sounded in front Huy, making him jump about five feet in the air. "I am Doctor Reese. Might I ask who this is?" she asked, pointing to Huy.

"Huy Iwasee, your patient's roommate."

"That's IwasATO," Huy gritted through his teeth.

The Doctor forced herself to smile at Huy, as if she hadn't done it in a VERY long while. "I would have guessed twins, myself..."

"Well, I thought he WAS Heero. But to the point, what is Heero's condition? Do you know what happened? Is it serious?" Ms. Prendergast inquired.

"Well, Heero was, er, *fairly* cooperative in answering our questions, and after the blood tests, I think we've got it." She paused to look down at one of the charts in her hand. "I think it would be best, Mr. IwasATO, if you heard this as well, then maybe you can help see that he, ah, eats his spinach..."

Huy and Ms. Predergast exchanged perplexed expressions.

"I'll get to the point. Heero, it seems, is extremely anemic. One major symptom of this is fainting. That was why he collapsed yesterday. Unfortunately, it was in a deserted place on a late November night and as the weather controls insist that we simulate earth, it was rather chilly last night. Mr. Yuy was lucky that he was wearing a coat and didn't get hypothermia. 

"He should be alright for the moment. We have him on an IV. You both are to see that he eats iron rich foods and I can give you the names of some iron tablets. Also, no strenuous activity and I suggest that you keep him confined to his bed for a few days. You should see an improvement in him within several weeks." She paused and gave them another fake smile, her lips rolled inward and her eyes scrunched into sarcastic half-moons. "Shall we go see him?" she suggested.

Huy's mind was reeling. Again, he had been expecting something like a high percentage of some various drug in his blood, not an iron deficiency!! What was with his stupid roommate and his odd body malfunctioning...

They opened the door to find Heero lying flat on his bed on top of the blankets, fully dressed in yesterday's clothes, staring at the ceiling.

"Mr. Yuy, your school nurse and roommate have come to take you back," the doctor called to him. Heero sat up and nodded as the doctor advanced to remove his IV. Huy noticed that his friend was pale, having almost a gray pallor. 

How did you get anemic, Heero? Is it left over from not eating? Huy wondered.

Heero stood up and walked over to the corner of the room where his coat and backpack had been placed. That's when Huy noticed how shaky Heero really was on his feet.

Huy intercepted him and grabbed the backpack. "Huy, I'm fine," Heero's voice sounded a little scratchy as he reached for his property.

"You're in the hospital, you dope! You are NOT alright. I'm carrying it. Put on your coat," Huy glared at him, determined to have his way.

Heero looked down and nodded, he didn't have the energy to fight.

Heero was taken back to school, and put on bed rest for a couple days as Dr. Reese had instructed. The other boys were all in his dorm playing cards on the floor. Well, all except Huy. He had disappeared in a huff a little while ago, but everyone just shrugged and kept playing.

"Knock, knock!" a girls voice called from the open door. Etrea stuck her head in. "I heard you were sick Heero. You feeling any better?" she asked, skipping over to his bed.

"Hey, how'd you get in here? This is the boys' dorm and the sex police would have caught you!!" Neas yelled at her.

Etrea stuck her tongue out. "I told them that I came to see Heero. It seems like all the teachers know about him being sick. But what happened to get everyone's attention anyway?"

"He collapsed on the back stairs at school and lied out there all night till a janitor found him and called an ambulance!" Huy boomed as he strode into the room bearing a large tupperware bread bowl, piled with something leafy and green.

"Uh, Huy...what is..." Kuman started.

"It's Heero's medicine!!" Huy exclaimed triumphantly as he dropped the bowl on Heero's lap. "EAT!!" he instructed.

"Huy, *what* are you doing?" Heero asked.

"I told you, giving you your medicine. That stuff is iron rich!!" Huy beamed down at his patient.'

"Huy, I can take care of myself," Heero began, starting to climb out of bed.

"Oh no you don't! They said that you need to stay in bed for a couple days and I'm here to make sure you do!! Now eat your spinach!!"

"Oh great, nurse Huy to the rescue," Neas muttered.

"I HEARD THAT!" Huy yelled, not turning his back to Heero.

"Huy, really I'm fine and I don't see why you have to..."

"Nope, I don't want to hear it! Eat your greens and maybe I'll get you a treat."

Apparently Jimbo had had all he could take because he burst out laughing and started rolling on what little floor space there was.

"Huy, you are something else," Etrea observed, shaking her head. "I *guess* you're in good hands, so I'll catch you later Heero. Huy, don't kill him," she pleaded.

Huy just "hmphed" and plopped down on the edge of Heero's bed--on top of Heero's feet so that he couldn't get up--and glared down at him. 

"What?" Heero asked.

"EAT!! I need you better if you're gonna help me pass all those exams!!" Huy yelled. This time it was Culver who burst out laughing.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that, Huy, to get you to pass them!" he sniggered.

To everyone's surprise, it was Heero that chucked the pillow at Culver's head, not Huy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What are coterminal angles?" Heero asked.

"Umm...I dun' know. Angles dat like du go do a shuddle port fer fun," Huy slurred out. It is rather difficult to talk when one is chewing on a pen. "We di'n't cover that," he tried to excuse himself.

"Yes you did. It's right here in your own handwriting. Now THINK. Maybe it'll come to you." Heero was starting to get a little annoyed. Huy had wanted his help studying, yet he continued to let his mind drift and chew through writing utensils.

"I'm just no good at math!! Can't we go to the Lit. I'm actually okay in that!" Huy pleaded, slamming the pen down on the table.

Heero sighed. "You'll never be any good at something if you keep saying that... Fine, why did Mary Shelley write _Frankenstein_?"

"Ummm, give me a second, I know this!" Huy said hurriedly when he saw Heero's expression. "Oh!! She was at that guy's house with her hubby and his friends and they got bored so they had a contest to see who could write the best ghost story, but she was the only on that actually did it!"

"And who it that guy'?"

"Um...Keats?"

"Try again."

"Er..."

"Lord Byron."

"OH!! Now I remember! Of course it was Byron. How could I forget, silly me, and..."

"Huy, the subject..."

"Oh, right," Huy laughed nervously. "I'm ready for the next question.

Heero mentally shook his head in frustration. This is going to take forever, he sighed.

"Oh, look at that! This is SWEET!"

"Yah, yah–so what?"

"So what? I *beat* the *unbeatable* Culver McNeal at chess!! Ye-ha!!" Neas yelled.

Culver grumbled softly. 

"Can't you keep it down! Some people are trying to study!!" Huy called form the floor where he was sprawled out with Jimbo, Heero, and Kumen. They were all settled down with notes and school books, studying for exams. "And today on the summit..." the radio was rattling softly in the background.

"Then go to your own dorm!" Neas yelled back. "Hehe, pay up Culv."

"Pay what?"

"We put a bet on this game. You owe me two pints of ice cream!! Dish it out, bloke!"

"Will someone change the station? They're giving the news...stupid people...almost as bad as commercials..." Culver mumbled irritably.

"Yah, I'm on it..." Jimbo grunted out, unfolding his long legs for a better reach. But as he reached over, he stopped and turned it up a little.

"Hey!! I said off' not up'!"

"No wait, they're talking about the Preventors," Jimbo explained.

"And your point is..." Culver trailed off.

"His big brother is a Preventor," Kuman told him.

"Wha'? You worried bout im?" Huy asked, chewing on a pen as usual.

"Well, last time I talked to him, he hinted that something pretty big was going on. He told me to keep an eye out for anything unusual and not to get involved in anything questionable." Jimbo shrugged, "I just wanted to hear what they had to say."

"I can't hear, is it anything important?" Neas called from across the room.

"Na, they're just do'in sum routine checks on stuff out on the ol' Lunar Base."

"So, does he like it?" Neas asked, bringing the subject back to Jimbo's brother.

"What? Being a Preventor?" Jimbo looked over at Neas to see his nod. "Well, okay I guess. He said it's kinda boring and slow in the office at times, but when he's doin' stuff, he loves it. But he met a Gundam Pilot!"

Huy snorted over in his Pre-calculus book. Heero raised an eyebrow slightly at Huy's reaction, and Culver caught the look. "Huy doesn't think that the Gundam Pilots ever existed," he clarified.

"Why not?"

Huy sighed, as if he had had this argument a million times before. "Well, for one thing we know nothing about them. They fought during the war, but we never saw their faces, and they say that their skills were inhuman. Maybe they were just mobile dolls. Also, they were so famous--crap, they ended the wars–so where are they now? Wouldn't they be some general or government honcho? Think about it!! They are famous and followed and what do they do? They didn't do anything but disappear. Things just don't add up."

"I told you, my bro' met one!" Jimbo argued.

"Okay, then what was he like? What was he doing?" Huy challenged.

"Well, he said he was a typical Chinese guy–kinda short and testy. He said he looked REALLY young, like he should still be in high school almost, but he's great at his job. Apparently his partner is this blond chick–my brother and his partner worked with them once."

Huy just hmphed and Heero suddenly had an overwhelming urge to smirk, and smirk very noticeably. However, he repressed it and turned back to his notes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Well, how's that? Oh, for anyone who wants to know–I stumbled upon the meaning of Neas' last night. [Clears throat] It is a biblical plant–probably a type of grain. So, Neas is something similar to wheat, rice, or rye. Oops. I didn't mean to name him that, but oh well–at least he's not a fruit or flower! No offense to anyone, but I don't plan to put any gay relationships in this fic. I'm not anti (hey my uncle's gay!), but I don't condone it or write it.

Oh, do you guys like these longer chapters or do you want me to make them two pages again?

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^.^=


	17. Inky Mouths and New Places

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Seventeen

Inky Mouths and New Places

*Disclaimer: Nope, nothing's changed. I still don't own them, but I'll let you know if there are any new developments on that area.

"Huy, concentrate," Heero grumbled. Now he was *really* losing his patience.

"I am! I just can't figure out this stupid identity!"

"Here, let me help," Heero reached over for the paper to write down a hint. Normally he would force Huy to do it himself, but he had to study too and they had been at it for three hours now.

Huy grabbed the paper possessively. "I'll do it on my own, thank you very much!" And then he promptly bit down on the pen in his mouth.

He put the paper down and started to pull the pen out of his mouth when..."EWW!!"

Heero buried his face in his hands after observing Huy's now ink black mouth. 

Fifteen minutes later...

"I'll get it! I swear that I will!"

"You've been working on that one problem for thirty minutes. This will be a timed test. If you haven't got it yet, then we need to go on. Think of this as a hypothetical exam."

Huy scrunched up his nose and handed over the paper. As Heero looked at the paper, Huy slouched in his seat and closed his eyes in his hands. 

"Relax Huy."

"Relax? How can I relax!?! I'm going to fail...I can't do this Heero, I ca..."

"Yes you can and quit doing that. The only thing you are accomplishing is further demoralizing yourself," Heero interrupted. 

"There's more on the line now though," Huy whispered.

Heero put the paper down and looked over at his friend. "What do you mean?"

"I went down to talk to the guidance councilors. They said that if I score high enough on my Lit. exam that they'll advance me to AP."

"I thought you didn't want another AP class. As I recall, you had a conniption fit when you found out that I had several in one semester," Heero reminded.

"Yeah, I know, but I think I'm really good at Lit., I mean, now that you've helped me a little bit. My teacher thinks I'm a really great writer too! I want to try something harder now, so if I do well on the exam, then they'll let me. And the scariest part is that for the first time in my life...I really care how I do. I want to get into that AP class. I've never wanted a good grade so much--ever!"

Heero gave a half smirk and turned to Huy's Pre Calculus notes, looking for more questions on identities. Huy seemed to need work in that area.

"Heero, do you remember that paper you revised for me about my family?"

"Yes."

"Well, I was just thinking about that. My teacher really liked that one. I thought it was my worst one, but life's funny that way...I got another letter from home. Yachi's really excited for Christmas because all of us will be together for the first time in a couple years. My sister went on some trip last year, and my brother was gone the year before–fighting in that blasted war. He nearly got killed..." Huy paused to look over at Heero. His eyes glazed over and he averted his gaze to his hands. There was something that had been bothering him for a while. "Heero, where are you going for Christmas?"

Heero shrugged without looking up.

"That's what I thought." Huy's voice was soft and thoughtful. "Heero, would you consider coming home with me?" he asked meekly.

Heero didn't even look up, but Huy could tell from the little upward motion of his shoulders that he was surprised. "It sounds like you'll have a full house. No, I'll just stay here..."

"It won't be any trouble at all. I've already cleared it with my parents. We just need to book the flight. Come on...you said you've never had a family. Haven't you ever wondered what a family is like? Come with me...I can't bear to think of you hear all by yourself for Christmas." Huy's voice was pleading and it was obvious that he'd given this a lot of thought.

Heero continued to stare down at the book, but without really looking, just staring of at a random wrinkle on his hand. "I can tell you won't take no for an answer." He sighed and slowly nodded his head in acquiescence. 

Huy gnawed on his pencil, the thin piece of wood was slowly becoming thinner and thinner. He had never been so nervous in his life. 

Crap...what was that dude's name! 

Huy racked his brain, pulling and mashing it from every side trying to extract hidden knowledge. He tapped his temple with his eraser, trying to inspire thought.

"Five minutes..." the teacher informed his class.

Huy looked up, his panic stricken face staring in disbelief at the clock. He quickly filled in all the empty circles with straight b's as Heero had instructed him to do if he ran out of time. But this particular exam didn't really matter–it was history, and besides, tomorrow he would be flying home for Christmas.

In another room, not too far away, Heero was whizzing through his exams, only worrying about trick questions, not really thinking about the next day.

Heero opened his eyes and leaned over to look out the window. He could see the hatch of the colony open to admit the shuttle. 

They were almost there.

He glanced over at the boy slouching beside him. Huy's head was resting on one shoulder, his mouth open–snoring softly.

Heero smiled inwardly at his carefree friend. He had never been like that–ever.

He sighed as the excessively cheerful flight attendant's voice over the intercom asked' them to buckle their seatbelts. Gently he elbowed Huy in the arm causing him to sit up suddenly.

"I'm up mom, I swear!!" he yelled, getting peculiar looks from his fellow passengers. He seemed to remember where he was because he then asked, "what's up?"

"We're landing," Heero explained.

"Oh," Huy gave and exaggerated sleepy nod.

Ten minutes later, the shuttle rolled to a stop in the port and Huy stood up into the isle, letting Heero get out in front of him. They walked down the narrow walkway and off the ramp.

As Heero entered the shuttle port building, a heavy weight lunged into him, nearly succeeding in knocking him down. He looked down to see a young Japanese girl with a very familiar grin, her arms securely latched around his waist.

"Huy, I'm so glad you're home," she giggled, her face buried even deeper into his stomach.

"That's nice to know, Yachi," Huy thanked her from behind Heero. He clearly found the entire scene hilarious.

"Huh?" Yachi asked as she peered around Heero to her brother. "Oh, you must be Heero!" She grinned toothily up at him. "Welcome!!" Yachi snuggled into his stomach and then released him, skipping happily to her brother to repeat the process.

Heero couldn't help but feel a tad warm and fuzzy inside. "I'm sorry about that, but I just couldn't hold her back. She has missed her brother terribly," a small good-natured Japanese woman interrupted his thoughts. She held out her hand, "I'm Huy's mother. Call me Mrs. Iwasato and I shoot you–that's my mother-in-law. I'm Ai."

"Heero Yuy, pleasure," Heero told her as he took her hand.

"Ug!! YAAAACHIIII!!! Must you be so slobbery!! And WHAT have you been EATING?!?! COTTON CANDY? I think you're gonna stick to my FACE!!" Huy laughed loudly as he attempted unsuccessfully to pry his over-zealous sister from his neck and face. "Man Heero, you got lucky with only a waist hug!" he grinned mischievously.

Yachi giggled and seemed to take that as a hint as she let go and launched herself at Heero. "YACHI!! Let go!!" Ai yelled in horror.

Huy burst out laughing as he watched his stoic friend survive the smothering kisses. "I just love little sisters. They're just so darn loveable!" Huy chortled.

Heero carefully pried the girl off with Ai's help. "Yachi, I told you not to do that!" she exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Oh, but they liked it," the girl giggled as she detached herself from her mother to grab one of Heero and Huy's hands in each of her small sticky ones.

The four of them found the baggage claim and then left the port to go home.

Two Japanese people, one in her late teens and a boy in his early twenties, scurried around a cheerful yellow kitchen, as another older man sat in a large armchair reading a newspaper.

The girl grabbed a tablecloth, spreading it over the table. The boy snatched a wet towel from the refrigerator door handle and flipped it into a tight roll, letting an end smack against the other's rear end–then took off running.

"TOSHI!! You giant poop head!! Come back here and fight like a man!!!" the victim screamed as she took off after her attacker.

Toshi laughed as the girl lunged at him. He leapt behind the couch. "Oh come on Gina! Don't be such a weenie!! Besides, I thought I was an idiotic perverted male–not a MA-AN," he joked, his voice cracking oddly as he ducked her punch and grabbed her ribs, tickling her momentarily.

"You are so dead!" she shrieked. The man in the chair continued to read his paper, apparently oblivious that his children attempting to murder each other.

"Nanny, nanny, boo-boo! You can't catch me!" Toshi chanted.

Suddenly Gina flew out from behind a chair, pouncing on her brother-pinning him to the floor. There was a loud crack when his head hit the hard tiled floor.

"Toshi, are you okay?" Gina gasped, immediately climbing off of him.

Toshi sat up Indian style and cradled the back of his skull, swaying forward and backwards. "Ouchy, ouchy! That *really* HURT!!"

"Sorry..."

"My foot you are! Crap man...oh that hurt..." Toshi muttered as he stood up slowly. "Oh, head rush..."

"Here, hold onto me," Gina told him, grabbing one of his arms.

"Thanks..." Toshi's voice trailed off weakly.

They stumbled to the living room couch where their father flipped a page of his newspaper.

Gina shot her father a nasty look and started to help Toshi onto the couch when he grabbed her and tickled mercilessly. "Toshi, you stupid retarded sneak!!" Gina's mood took a grand swing again.

"Retard? You're the redundant gullible one! I have a head of STEEL!!" Toshi gloated.

"Oh, so that's why you're so thick," Gina gritted as she attempted to tickle back, but it was a losing battle. He was a lot stronger than her, and his arms were longer.

"You shall never conquer! I am hands of fire, but buns of steel! Ra-ha-ha!!"

"Toshi, where in the HECK do you come up with that dumb stuff?" Gina asked, kicking him off her. Their legs were tangled together and they rolled off the couch into a crumpled mass of flesh, clothes, and pillows. 

"I think that it was off a cereal box," Toshi revealed.

"No, that was..."

"We're back!!" Ai called from a back room.

"Oh crud," Gina and Toshi whispered simultaneously as they sat bolt upright and sprinted tipsily to the dining room to finish setting the table.

"Yup, and we've got two Huys!! But one is kinda grouchy," Yachi's childish voice rang out.

"Yachi!" Ai sounded horrified, not for the first or last time that evening.

"But he IS! He doesn't even talk or smile," Yachi whispered loudly.

"Neither does Dad," Toshi yelled from the dining room. A newspaper page flipped in the living room.

"Well, what's for diner?" Huy asked, striding into the kitchen and preceded to inspect the contents of the oven and two pots on the stove.

"Huy, don't even think about it!" his mother warned.

"Yah, and..." Gina stopped as she caught a glimpse of a boy standing in the doorway. Her jaw dropped slightly as she looked from Heero to Huy and back again. "Wow," she said softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Just your average, every day family...sigh...makes you feel all good inside doesn't it...ugg...someone shoot me if I start getting sappy, please, you'll be putting me out of my misery... Anyway, my box loves you [wink wink]!! 

Thanks for reading!!

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^.^=


	18. A Walk In the Woods

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Eighteen

A Walk In The Woods

*Disclaimer: This past Christmas was great. I got just about everything I asked Santa for; however, I think that GW slipped his mind so I guess I'll just put it on this year's list...sigh...I'll just have to be content with borrowing it...

** means flashback

Heero rolled over on his futon, pulling the blanket more securely over his head to block out the offending rays of sunlight. Yesterday was Christmas and Yachi had gotten everyone up at four in the morning to open presents. Heero hadn't expected anything, but he had figured that since they were taking him in for the holidays, he needed to be polite and get everyone else something. That had been an interesting experience. Shopping with Huy...Heero cringed at the memory...

** "Hmm...well, Gina likes orange a lot. Let's see..."

"I am NOT going into the lingerie department and I am NOT buying underwear for ANYONE in your family. Don't even think about it!"

"Oh come on!! It'll be funny! You don't want them to think that you don't have a sense of humor!!"

"I don't have a sense of humor, in case you've forgotten, Huy."

"Yes you do! You just misplaced it." **

Heero sighed. He had just been happy to survive!

But Huy's family also had gotten him several things–much to his surprise. First, they got him an oversized sweater the color of his eyes (Gina said he looked very fetching' in it, whatever that was supposed to mean), and then a desk lamp (apparently Huy had told them that he would work late into the night by the light of his laptop screen...not every good for the eyes according to Mr. Iwasato). Last a book called "Computer Programming for Dummies" from Huy (obviously a gag gift), which he was tempted to give to his C++ teacher once they returned to school. But Heero couldn't help but feel happy that they thought of him. The family was all so kind and accepting.

They had pretty much played' all day yesterday–either that or ran from Yachi and her new make-up' kit. It had been a dangerous day to be a male in the house.

Then Mr. Iwasato was just scary. "And the couch is at 1300 N' by." He had gotten a GPS system and was happily calculating the coordinates of everything from the couch to Yachi at an instant in time–he couldn't get her to stand still for more than that amount of time anyway. Heero almost suggested that he trace her path and take the derivative. The normally cool, controlled, reserved man suddenly transformed into some alternate form of Huy at football games...frightening to say the least.

Halfway through the morning, the short-haired dachshund, Fluffy (Huy and Toshi named him) disappeared. Later, when Ai was bagging up used, torn wrapping paper and bows, he was found sleeping in an empty shoebox. Huy promptly kicked the box and the dog went yelping around the house with Mr. Iwasato chasing after it with his GPS. The dog jumped over Gina, who was on the vidphone, followed by Mr. Iwasato, who caught his foot on the cord of the vidphone and disconnected it from the wall–then Gina joined in the chase. Huy and Toshi just sat on the couch laughing like hyenas while Yachi hid behind the couch preparing to pounce on them with her pastel eye shadow. Ai stood in the middle of the room wondering what happened. That was when the dog decided that he liked how Heero smelled and leaped all over him. Heero's head was still ringing from the collision...

Yachi had had way too much candy, so, not only did she get everyone up three to eight hours early from bed (the time depended on who you were talking about), but she also prevented everyone from going to bed before three A.M. It was now eight according to the neon green alarm clock on the desk across the room, and he wanted to go back to sleep. "Cursed sun," he muttered softly.

"WHERE ARE YO-OU HEERO?!?" Yachi's childish voice called from the hallway. 

Heero groaned inwardly. Sleep, he wanted sleep! Luckily he had Huy and Toshi as a buffer in this room...didn't he?

Heero pushed off his blanket just enough to get a good look at the room. He didn't hear Huy's usual...er...night noises and Toshi just plain old snored–he couldn't here that either. Heero sat bolt upright at the realization. 

He was alone in the room and Yachi was on the lose...

Most likely with make-up in hand...

Alone...

Heero jumped up and flung on some clothes while he frantically looked for a place to hide.

The vent, he smirked looking up. Being a Gundam Pilot definitely has its uses in situations of extreme desperation. 

Heero grabbed the desk chair in the corner and rolled it under the vent in the wall. After prying it upward, Heero clutched the edge and pulled himself up and into it. 

Just after he pulled his feet in, Yachi burst into the door. "Heero? You in here?" He watched through the slats as the little girl inspected the room. Her right eyebrow was arched in mock confusion and concentration as she quietly mumbled to herself. "Hmm...is widdle Heewo hiding under HERE," she yelled HERE' as she jumped to the floor to look under the desk. She stood up and scanned the small bedroom once more. "That's funny, I guess he's really not in here..." she murmured. "HE-ERO!! COME OUUUUT AND PLA-AY!!" she yelled, running out of the room.

Heero released the breath he had been holding and waited until he couldn't hear her voice anymore before jumping out of the vent and climbing back to his futon.

Aw...peace...he thought just before fading back into a restful sleep.

Heero was walking through a clouded mist...the fog deep all around him. He could see a light off in the distance...he walked towards it. He walked and walked, but things around him got darker and colder. He had to get to the light, but he couldn't. Why couldn't he? He ran fast, but it got darker faster. A chill ran through him, clutching at his heart. He wanted to yell and scream at the cold lonely feeling, but he pushed on because he could see the light.

That's when he saw her...the blond little girl...and her dog Mary. She was lying in a crumpled heap on a patch of grass in the middle of a clearing in the fog, her short arms wrapped protectively around the brown dog. Heero looked down at his hand...he was holding the flower that she had given him earlier.

"Hey, little girl, wake up," he shook her gently...but she wouldn't get up. 

Why won't she wake up...wait...that's right, I killed her...she's dead because I killed her...

That's when he looked around and saw faces, so many faces. Some young, others old...Marshal Noventa...a bright eyed guard...all these people...

I killed all of these people, he thought, horrified. 

His heart felt as if it was ripping in half as he looked at all the people. They were advancing on him...faster and faster... He shrunk back in fear, stumbling on the little girl's body. He glanced over and saw the light.

If I can just get over there, I'll be safe, he realized suddenly. 

He broke out into a run...his feet flying...

I can't get there...I can't reach it!

They kept on coming–chasing after him. That's when the hand reached out from the light and tried to pull him to safety. He reached out to grab it, but he only pulled it with him. An arm appeared, then a shoulder, then a neck, and then a face...a blond girl with large blue eyes about his age.

Relena...Relena, you're trying to save me? 

"Heero, hold tight! I'll pull us both back in," she told him, her voice strangely hollow and distant with a soft echo.

"No you can't; you're not strong enough–I'll just pull you in here with me. Let me go and keep yourself safe. I'm not worth it...just go back," he told her.

"I won't abandon you...ever...never...Heero," she reassured.

"Relena, just GO!" Heero yelled while trying to pry her off of his arm. "You have to make it out alive, for peace, for everyone else!" Why does this feel so familiar, he wondered.

"Heero, just hold on, Heero...Heero..."

"HEERO!! I FOUND YOU!!" Yachi's little voice chirped. "Where were you hiding you bad boy!!"

"Wha..." Heero struggled to sit up with Yachi straddling his legs and hugging his stomach like it was a life preserver in the middle of a raging ocean.

What happened? Relena was here, I know she was...wait, it was a dream...this is what's real...he thought, looking down at the black haired girl again.

"I looked, but you weren't here! Where were you?" she demanded, her lower lip sticking out.

"I was here the whole time–what are you talking about not being here," he lied.

Yachi hmphed' him and yanked on his hand. "Well, it's time you get up, lazy bones!! The day's half over!"

"You sound like your mother."

"WELL, maybe you NEED a mother!! Come ON!" the gritted her teeth and grunted, trying to pull up a mass three times her own.

I still have one over you little girl, Heero thought slyly.

Then something dawned on him.

"Where is everyone?" Heero asked suddenly, calmly watching Yachi pull and tug on his arms with all her might.

"ERRRRGG!! HA!! GAA-RRR! They, YAAH, all went to, UFF, the neighbors, G-G-GPUFF, to see, M-M-MHAAA, the new b-b-baby, JAHHAA!!"

"Didn't you want to go?" he prompted, watching her with great amusement. Her face was bright red and her shoulder-length hair was flying everywhere out of its usual locked position under the head-band.

"I've ALLLL REEEEEEADY, ga, ha ha, seen the baby and they JJRRRRRRAAAHH, wanted someone to stay with me so they left you!!" 

"Feel like giving up?" Heero inquired.

"NEV-ER!! GAAAAAAHHHHH!!"

"What will you do with me if I do get up?" He was a little afraid to ask, but what the hey.

"Go for a w-w-walk!! It snowed some MORE!" she continued to strain on the words as she pulled and tugged.

"You'll get tired eventually," Heero pointed out, also noticing that she wasn't making as many grunting noises. 

"No I won't! I'm a IWASATO!! I will never give up until I c-c-onquer!!"

Heero sighed and pushed himself up as the blue-clad girl plopped onto the floor with a thump. "Hey, that hurt!"

"Oops."

"You're not very nice."

"You noticed."

"Just for that your gonna get it! Put on your coat, we are going for a WALK!!"

"Ye-es ma'am," Heero mumbled under his breath, knowing she would never leave him alone with his futon if he didn't.

I've got a feeling that's I'm going to regret this...

Yachi skipped along the path through the woods with Heero paced several feet behind her. 

Heero was actually amazed at this colony. He had been many places, but never one like this. Mr. Iwasato was a botanist and this colony had been built especially for the purpose of research in that field. He seemed fairly enthusiastic about his job, he had given Heero the lowdown' on his first night.

The colonies had been in quite a bit of turmoil and an independent company had put together the funds to built a colony just for research. It had only a couple hundred people living on it and the peace was easily kept as it was governed by a town council. Nothing else was needed. They recruited Mr. Iwasato, which was why he was here.

The colony was an average sized one, but it was full of parks and various terrain. There were divisions within the colony to experiment with various ecosystems. On one side, there as a tropical forest and on another a desert, for example. This side was of a more moderate climate and followed the typical seasons–thus explaining the snow on December twenty-sixth.

Yachi took a flying leap into the snow, giggling loudly as she lied on her back and flapped her arms and legs around.

"What are you doing?" Heero asked, nonplussed. Not that he really cared, but still, it was rather odd.

"Mak'in a snow angel! Haven't you ever seen one before?" she shot back giddily.

Heero shook his head and looked up at the sky' as a snow flake landed softly on his noes.

"Come on!! It's fun, I'll show you how!!" she jumped up and grabbed his forearm.

"No, that's okay. I'll pass on it this time Yachi."

"No you WON'T!! Come ON," she yanked with an unusual amount of strength and he fell headlong into the snow. "There, roll on your back and spread your arms and legs out and then bring them back in and you keep doing that! Like this."

This is utterly ridiculous, Heero grumbled silently.

"You're not doing it! Don't make me hurt you!"

Heero couldn't help but let a little snort escape. "Oi!! So close, I almost made you laugh! Come on Heero, make an angel please! Just for meee," she pushed one lip forward and drooped her eyes.

Where have I seen that face before? Heero asked himself. O yeah...every time Huy wants me to revise an essay for him...grr...

"Alright, alright," he muttered softly and lied out flat on his back.

I can't believe I'm doing this...

"Geesh, you're so stiff! I'd think you were embarrassed or something!" Yachi giggled and slammed a snowball into his face, then immediately took off running.

"Why you...GET BACK HERE!!" he yelled after her, charging down the hill.

"Can't catch me!! I'm the little snow ball girl!!"

"I bet you are!!" Heero hurdled over a fallen tree and leaped over to her, snagging her ankles. She fell with a thump into the soft snow. "What are you going to do now, little snow ball girl? Huh?" Heero asked, tickling her.

"S-stop!! Please stop!!" she struggled to get out between bursts of laughter. Heero withdrew and sat back on his haunches. Yachi sat up and caught her breath, then grinned evilly through her loose hair.

"YAAH!!" she yelled, lunging for his ribs.

"You little cherub!" Heero gritted, trying unsuccessfully to ward her off.

And that's when it happened. A strange bubbly feeling in the pit of his stomach–it was almost a reflex. I forced its way up his windpipe and out his mouth. It was a strange sound to him, one that he only made after a battle. No...this one was different, it was happy, not insane, not one of satisfaction...not one to cover up his misery from stealing lives...

It released itself into the wind, caught on a little passing breeze, sending it all throughout the woods, echoing over and over. It felt as if time had stopped, but Yachi didn't seem to notice anything strange–she just chirped triumphantly. "I got you to lau-ugh!!" she chanted and hugged him ferociously.

Heero didn't know what to do, so he awkwardly hugged the red-faced little girl back.

"And he goes for the goal...he shoots...he SCO–HEY!! That wasn't fair!"

"She goes in a lay-up, and SHE scores!!"

"Hey Heero, you're supposed to narrate when you've got the ball!"

"..." Heero scores a goal for he and Huy's team. Gina and Toshi were pared up as the other team, naturally–it was too confusing with Huy and Heero on separate teams because no one could tell them apart.

"Toshi Iwasato takes the ball for his lowlife team and goes for a goal...he shoots...he..."

"Misses! His very skilled, attractive, and intelligent teammate takes the rebound!"

"But then the much more skilled...er...other team is now in possession of the ball and..."

"Huy!! You got your grades in the mail!!" Ai's voice sounded from the side door of the house.

Huy froze. 

"Hey duck!"

Huy was completely oblivious as the basketball smacked into the side of his head.

"My grades..." then he sprinted into the house.

"What's up with him?" Toshi asked, his left eyebrow arched.

"If he scored high enough on his Literature exam he can advance to AP," Heero explained.

"He actually wants to? I mean, he has the brains, but he's never used them..." Gina trailed off.

"Maybe, but he didn't know it before last semester. Now that he knows, he wants to use them and prove everyone at school wrong."

"Everyone at school...why..."

"They all think that he's all basketball and no brain."

"Seriously?" Toshi jumped into the conversation again.

Heero nodded. "Even his closest friends seem to think that. That's why people like him. They don't feel threatened by a short basketball player with no brains...people are weak so they can't trust anyone including themselves and thus they like being around people they feel are weaker then they are."

"But that's totally bogus. Huy is very smart and he's a great player. Aren't they threatened by that?"

"Huy isn't playing as much because everyone else has grown. He said he used to be the tallest, but he was just a fast grower and now everyone else has caught up. He's good, but he can't go any further. Also, people don't realize that he's smart, so he'll prove it to everyone if he scored high enough."

"Oh, I get it," Toshi's face lit up at the Ah-ha' experience and then darkened as he thought about it. "Depressing..."

They stood there in silence for an interminably long ten seconds when Huy bounded out of the house and jumped up to hug Heero, knocking him down on the concrete basketball court. "Heero! I did it!! I REALLY DID IT!! HAHA! EAT THAT EVERYONE!!!!!" he yelled, shaking Heero's shoulders. "I'm moving up!"

"That's nice, but my diaphragm can't move up or down..."

Huy grinned ear to ear and climbed off of Heero. "Well, that's payback for that Goliath friend of yours!" Huy jumped up and ran back into the house, where Ai was at the doorway looking confused. 

Huy picked her up and swung her around. "AH! Put me down RIGHT NOW!" Ai protested.

"I love you mommy!" Huy told her earnestly as he hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, and quickly and disappeared through the door.

"What on earth?" she asked looking after him, then quickly ran in to find her husband lest he become victim too.

In the mean time, Yachi had jumped on Toshi with her lipstick...

"Did you pack your socks?"

"Yes mom."

"And ALL your underwear?"

"Mo-ther..."

"Ai, give it a rest."

Ai shot a glare at her husband. "Alright, alright...I get the hint. Have a wonderful semester dear and don't forget to write!" Ai reminded while crushing him to her bosom in a tight hug. Then she quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Heero, you make SURE he's good, alright?"

"I don't think that's possible."

Ai suddenly teared up as she smiled up at Heero. "You have a good semester too okay?"

"I'll try."

Ai fiddled nervously with a button on her shirt.

"Our plane's here, see you guys!" Huy waved goodbye to his parents again and they started to turn and leave when suddenly Ai threw her arms around Heero in a motherly hug.

"You be good too, alright?" she whispered into his shoulder. Then she patted him on the back and let go, watching her son and his identical and very stoic friend climb onto the shuttle.

She stood there hand in hand with her husband, tears falling freely.

"Ai, it'll be okay," Ryuzou Iwasato comforted her, holding her hand tighter. "Everything will work out okay...you'll see..." And they turned to go home where their other three children were waiting.

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A/N Yah, yah, I know, You're now stuck to your seats. I'll go get a spatula to pry you off. Just shoot me now...I told you to in the last chapter if I got sappy...sigh...anyway...you like? Oui ou non...sappy, or no sappy...please grant me your opinions oh mighty and all powerful readers! (well, it wasn't THAT sappy so I guess you don't really have to shoot me...and boy are my chapters getting longer...)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING COMMENTS!!!! I finally checked my e-mail a week or so after I put that chapter up and it was wonderful!! The last several chapters weren't getting much response but 17 got ten or so. I was sooooooo excited and jumping up and down. THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!! The reviews make a story all worth it. Thank you to Alexander Granger especially–a wonderfully regular reviewer!! Thankyou!! (ha, ha, I'm out of breath just typing that!) Thanks for reading!!

Ohto answer some reviews, I'm going to fit in Wufei and Duo for sure in this story–Wufei's part will be fairly minor, but Duo will have a bigger part, but neither is especially important to the plot. I don't think I can fit in Quatre at all and Relena won't show up either. I don't know if I said this before or not, but I'm thinking of turning this into a reeeeeeeaaaaaally long prequal to "When the Heart Overrules" which does have Relena in it (lots of Relena ~_^). I'm not sureI'd have to alter it a little bit, and it might change the ending of this fic as I haven't yet decided if Heero's going to die or notI'm really indecisive on this story, there are so many ways I could go. Anyway, I'll shut up now–this is already an insanely long authors note.

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^;^=


	19. Showoff

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Nineteen 

Showoff

*Disclaimer: I don't own GW...don't sue...this is boring...and redundant

"Ah...the wonders of the dorm, our home! Do you smell that–home's smell?"

"What? Dirty socks and BO?"

Huy made a funny face at Heero and they continued up the stairs of the boys' dorm building. "I'm glad I didn't pack too much stuff to take home...Mom loaded me down with stuff to bring back..."

They stopped in front of their door and Heero unlocked it. "Whew-ee! Let's air this place OUT!" Huy dropped his stuff on the floor with a loud thud' and ran to the one window to push it open, fanning out the heavy, stale smell of a room too long sealed. Heero started reloading his closet with clothes and his desk with books.

"Hey, twins are back!" Neas yelled from down the hall.

"You better believe it! And we're rar'en for action!" Huy retorted, striding out of the room to greet their hall-mates.

Heero sat down at his desk and rested his head in his hands. His vision blurred up and his head hurt...

I thought I was better...I was fine last week when I played ball with Huy, Gina, and Toshi...what's wrong with me...

"Hey Heero, you okay?"

Heero's head snapped up. "Yah, I'm fine. Just a little sleepy," he lied.

"Well, you wanna come with us to harass the girls?"

"No. I'll pass."

Huy nodded, his face looking much like Ai's when she was yelling at her sons to stop teasing Yachi because it hurt her feelings. "Oo-kay..." he said hesitantly, slapped the doorframe, and turned on his heel.

Heero quietly finished unpacking and lied down on his bed and closed his eyes, memories of Christmas break flooding through his brain. 

So much had happened. Yachi had actually made him laugh and the family was totally accepting of him. There had been a spirit, a feeling about the entire holiday and the only way he could describe it was home.' 

Not like home' was on that other colony, cold, lonely. He had been free at that other home, but it did not feel the same way, not the way he had felt at Huy's home. That's right, Heero remembered, it was Huy's home, not his and never would be his.

But then he recalled Yachi's slobbery goodbye, and Gina and Toshi's bashful ones. They had said goodbye at the house and then Ai and Mr. Iwasato had gone ahead and taken the boys to the shuttleport. Mr. Iwasato's gruff hand-shake...Ai's warm hug...they had said they'd miss him and were concerned about himand he, much to his surprise, was missing the warm, casual, loving atmospherethey said they'd write to him as well as Huythey said he could come and visit any timeif he needed them.

Before he knew it, he had drifted into a peaceful sleep. For the first time in at least a year, he was not haunted by the faces and voices of those long gone.

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Huy followed Heero, Culver, and Etrea timidly as they entered Miss Kiloah's classroom three days later. He looked over all the students' faces and gulped down the large lump in his throat. 

Culver and Etrea moved to their seats leaving Heero and Huy at the front of the room. The AP classes were all year-round and the others would change each semester, so the seating arrangements were the same.

Heero lead Huy to Miss Kiloah's desk. He cleared his throat to get her attention, as she was absorbed in a D' encyclopedia. 

She looked up, startled. "Oh..." she looked up, slightly dazed. "OH..." she said again as she looked from Heero to Huy.

"This is Huy Iwasato, the new student."

"Yes, I know. I've seen you play HuyI just forgot how similar you too are. Well then, we'll just have to find you a seat...on the other side of the room from Heero so I don't get you confused...and we'll get you all situated. I'm very pleased to have you," she smiled genially.

Huy suddenly remembered Heero's description of her and began to wonder if Heero was the screwed up one.

"Heero, why don't you go to your seat now."

Heero looked at his teacher dubiously and walked to the back of the room. Then Miss Kiloah smiled at Huy again and he shifted in his shoes.

Five minutes later...

"We have a new student with us–maybe not new to the school, but new to our class anyway. Why don't you tell us about yourself?" she smiled over at him from her position on her desk.

"Well, what do you want to know?" he asked shyly, glancing over at where Heero was sitting shaking his head and mouthing no'.

"Oh, I don't know...just talk...for say, oh, five minutes."

"FIVE? Er...um...[scratches head]..." 

That's pretty much what he said for five minutes...

"Did she make *you* do that, Heero?"

Heero nodded. "Just wait a while, then you'll really see her true colors."

"Why? What does she do?" Huy looked a little nervous.

"Oh! First she drags you into a back room and the she ties you down and then she cuts off your testicles!" Culver elaborated very sarcastically.

"That's not funny, Culv! You're only saying that anyway cause you don't have any!"

Etrea was giggling madly at by this point, while Heero remained gruff and waited for Huy and Culver to stop arguing.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Culver was actually offended.

"I was just joking with ya! Gad...can't say anything round here..." Huy rolled his eyes. "But back to my question, seriously guys, what's so screwy bout er?" 

"Miss Kiloah just has us read strange books, write cooky essays, and do abnormal projects," Heero answered him.

"What do you mean...you know...expound a bit," Huy was talking expressively with his hands as usual.

"Did Heero just say cooky'?" Etrea whispered behind her hand to Culver.

Heero ignored her and was about to do as Huy requested when Etrea cut in.

"Once we all dressed up in battle armor' that we made in class out of card board and paper mache and staged the a scene from _The Man In The Iron Mask_–or was is _Three Musketeers_? Anyways, it was pretty goofy, and there also was the time she made Heero dress up as the Hunchback of Notre Dame and save Esmeralda...hehe. Anyway, just be prepared to toss all your pride out the window," Etrea further explained.

"Heero was the Hunchback? You're kidding!!!" Huy's voice cracked loudly.

"Uh-huh. She said it fit him perfectly because he's practically a hermit already." 

Huy burst out laughing, staggering around the hallway. "Ho, boy. What I wouldn't have given to see that," he said, wiping tears from his eyes.

"I told you she's odd," Heero reminded.

"YO HUY!!" Jimbo yelled down the hall.

The group stopped and looked back at the tall boy as he sprinted down the hall. "Huy, I got our basketball schedules. We get to go play on EARTH this year!!"

"You're joking!!" Heero could hear Huy and Jimbo jabbering excitedly down the opposite hall as the group split up for their different classes–Jimbo and Huy both had general Physics. Etrea did as well, so she followed in their wake rolling her eyes. Heero and Culver walked on to Calculus.

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"Well, now I get to show you just how strong I really am!" Huy said, popping his knuckles.

Heero refrained from rolling his eyes but folded his arms and scanned the room quickly. It was one of the back weight-training rooms with a high ceiling, glass walls, and chain mess gates–why chain mesh, Heero could not understand. The room was clean but the air was slightly stale and laced with the scent of salty sweat. Various machinery filled the room in neat rows, sturdy metal shelves on the walls housed spare weights. Their classmates were quickly pairing up and claiming machinery. Heero sighed inaudibly to himself.

"Hey, what'sa matter? You should be in very high spirits! You have TWO classes with me this semester instead of just ONE! Anyway, I'm going first–you spot me."

Heero and Huy walked over to an unclaimed bench. "How much do you want on it?" Heero asked.

"Ah...let's start with one seventy-five and see how it is."

Heero screwed the weights on, while the weight lifting teacher' (if there really is such a thing, Heero thought) breathed over his shoulder to make sure he did it right. "Don't forget to keep your hands ready and eyes open at ALL times when you are the spotter. Someone could get squished in here, and this is NOT THE TIME TO SHOW OFF! Yes, you are all really buff, don't try to be macho and prove it. That's why there is a girls' class and a boys'–there's is just too much flirting going on if you are both in here!" he yelled.

Heero rolled his eyes. Huy grinned impishly as Heero handed him the bar. "Ya, if we had the girls in here, we'd have to tie you down," Huy winked at Heero, who ignored him.

"Yup, yup," Huy said after a couple sets. "Too easy. Load her up, Heero!"

"SWITCH!!" the teacher blew his whistle loudly.

Heero and Huy switched places. Heero could feel that one seventy-five was DEFINITELY too easy, but after that dizzy spell the other day, he didn't want to risk putting on too much and dropping it in the middle. He had been feeling sluggish again. Something was most certainly wrong with him, but he shouldn't STILL be suffering from AV-941...that was MONTHS ago...

"Garr..." Heero grunted as his head suddenly was enveloped by a grayish haze...he couldn't think and his strength suddenly left him. He could vaguely see Huy staring off at the other people around him, trying to see how much they were benching. Then everything started to turn an olive, sickly green color. "Hu-Huy.." he whispered, but that was all the air he could get out.

The bar fell...

"E-AHHH!! Heero! Man, are you okay!!" Huy screeched as he saw what happened out of the corner of his eye.

Oh, I'm just fine! A hundred and seventy pounds just fell on my chest and I can't see straight, and my spot was daydreaming about being the world's strongest man, but yah, I'm fine!' he wanted to yell, but all he could do was roll on his side and clutch his head and chest, trying to stop the throbbing and clear his vision.

Everyone had stopped what they were doing and made their way over, when the teacher blew his whistle. "Okay, everything's fine! Get back to your benches!!" he yelled, striding quickly over to where Heero and Huy were. "You okay kid?" he asked quietly. "What happened?"

Heero's head had cleared enough up that he could respond now. "I got dizzy, and my arms went limp," he finally admitted his weakness.

"Does this happen often?"

"Not really," he lied. "I'll be fine..." he lied again–his chest was killing him. He had seriously bruised something.

"Come on you two, let's go to my office."

Heero weakly stood up and the three of them slowly walked into a little dark room with a very large, very worn desk and a rusty file cabinet with chipped paint behind it. "You!" he yelled, pointing his finger at Huy angrily, "You!! You should have been watching him! He could have been KILLED! You were his spot and you SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING HIM!! There is no place for such irresponsible behavior in this class and you have to take it seriously. I know types like you, the ones that show off and belittle everyone else, and it's usually the little guys that do it. And you," he said, shifting to Heero, "you were obviously trying to push to much weight! Well, now you see what happens. Serves you right! Now both of you go to the lobby and sid'down!!" He screeched, spraying spit over the boys.

Huy was now broken down, looking as if he were about to cry, but Heero just stared defiantly forward and led Huy out of the room. They sat down next to each other in the rusty metal chairs in the gym lobby, not saying anything. Huy was staring at his hands, his throat making funny motions now and then, trying to banish what he was feeling. Heero just leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Heero," Huy finally broke the silence, "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean too...I know that my mind wanders, but you were doing fine, so I didn't see the harm in looking away for a second or two...I'm so sorry..." he trailed off, and rested his forehead on his clasped hands in front of him. "So sorry," he whispered again.

"Don't worry about it."

Huy's head flung up in surprise. "What..."

"I said don't worry about it. I was doing fine, that dizzy spell was completely unexpected," he fibbed. "I'm fine and it's okay. Don't let him get to you. I know you wouldn't have let that fall on purpose and it was an accident. Accidents happen..."

Heero's still slightly cloudy mind drifted back to the time he killed all those pacifist leaders...he had wanted to die, but he had been much more good to everyone by living and continuing fighting. Huy was now his closest friend...an actual friend, and he didn't want him feeling badly for something that was Heero's fault. He shouldn't have even been lifting weights with those sporadic attacks. But he couldn't tell Huy because he would never leave him alone if told him about how he was feeling. "It wasn't your fault and I'm fine so forget about it."

Huy smiled weakly at his friend and looked back at his hands. "Heero, you were lying when you told him that your spells don't happen often, weren't you?"

Heero didn't answer.

"Heero, I know you to well, you can't lie to me...you've been sick ever since you first got here last semester, and you still are. It's not anemia or malnutrition because I've made SURE that you've eaten well. Something else is wrong. What's going on with you?" Huy continued to stare at his hands, massaging his knuckles and popping one every once in a while.

"Don't worry about..."

"Oh no you don't!! Don't even start with that I'm fine, don't worry about me' crap! I won't buy it for two seconds–YOU ARE SICK HEERO, REALLY SICK AND YOU NEED HELP!"

Heero's shoulders sagged in defeat. 

"Let's go to the nurse at lunch and see what she says."

Heero nodded meekly...his strength was gone...

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"Say AH'!"

Heero glared at Ms. Prendergast and opened his mouth wide.

"Well, you look fine," she said after looking in his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and banging his knees with a little hammer (literally–the school hadn't bought the supplies so improvising was necessary). "You probably just need more sleep and more food. You have been eating your spinach?"

Heero nodded.

The elderly woman sighed and patted his arm. "Well, hop off and I'll write you a pass to go back to your dorm. Get some sleep."

Heero took the little piece of paper from her and left the room to find Huy planted at the doorway. Ms. Prendergast had refused to let him in while she checked Heero out. 

"What did she say?"

"To sleep and eat more. She gave me a pass to skip class," Heero told his friend flatly.

Huy's shoulders sagged as he sighed loudly. "You need more than that..." he muttered and then pushed himself up off the dusty floor. "I guess I'll go back to class. You better sleep like she said," he warned.

"I will."

Heero rolled over in bed. He couldn't sleep and he had counted millions of sheep, but the sandman was still far away.

He got up and picked up the old duct taped book of quotations and opened it to a random page. Heero wasn't exactly sure, but for some reason he had a fetish for words. Sometimes he just sat and read and soaked them in, especially words with a lesson behind them–that's why he liked his quote book so much. To him, there was something encouraging and empowering in words from the wise.

Two hours later when Huy came in carting a bread bowl of spinach, ham sandwiches, apples, and Lil' Debbie cakes, Heero was fast asleep with his face stuck to a page of the book. His face was vacant, peaceful, and almost innocent. 

Huy smiled. This was one of the few times that his friend actually showed who and what he was. One of the few times that he seemed happy, at peace with himself. Heero would toss and turn in fitful sleep night after night, sometimes he'd call out a name or swear loudly. During those times, Huy would lie awake and listen to his friend's pain, his cries, unable to help. 

He never told Heero that he knew. Heero would just deny the pain and push it away anyway, running from it. Huy hurt for him, knowing similar guilt and despair and loss and, most of all, hopelessness, a floundering hopelessness that engulfs those with so much doubt and fear. However, his was not to the same extent. 

Huy clenched his eyes and hands tight thinking of how lost he was not to long ago, when a special friend had come into his life and helped him to find the path. He was shown the truth of himself and learned to accept himself for it.

Now, Huy wondered if he could do the same for his friend.

He looked down on Heero's quiet figure lying stomach down, face plastered to a book. The young face that usually looked old somehow, invisible lines of experience scoring his skin, were ironed out in sleep.

Peace, not just sleep, is what you need, Huy thought. Peace of mind.

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"Does anyone have any salt?" Neas asked.

"N-blush,thesh,sglubb, clkjohish."

"That's great Kumen, but could you please repeat that without food blocking your larynx and trachea?" Neas sighed shaking his head, his face in one hand.

There was a loud gulping noise and Kumen repeated, "No, but there's some by the clean trays."

"Arrg..." Neas glared at the offending distance separating him from the salt.

"Oh, don't be such a baby Nee, and just go get the darn salt," Huy sighed as had munched on an apple.

"But it's so far!" he groaned.

Jimbo rolled his eyes at his lazy friend and Heero got up to go get the salt. Everyone nearly dropped whatever object they were holding.

"Did Heero actually go do something NICE?" Kumen asked, his voice cracking.

"You guys don't really know Heero. He's really nice all the time if you just watch. He just doesn't say much," Huy defended him.

"Oh yah? Is that right? He just seems so cold and self-absorbed to me," Culver said.

Huy glared at the boy. "Don't you dare ever say that again about him. You guys don't know him or what he's been through, and if you'd actually take notice of HIS actions instead of being so dang ABSORBED in _your_selves, you'd see that! Besides, you're just jealous because he gets better grades than you!" Huy promptly took a large chomp out of his apple.

"All right, if you say so..." Culver feigned annoyance.

"Merry Belated Christmas," Heero said gruffly as he handed Neas the salt.

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"Beowulf was one of Britain's most celebrated literary heroes many, er, _many_ years ago. He saved the village in this chapter, as we have just seen. However, we read this and just see it as a fairy tale and don't even consider for a moment if it was real. Some scholars speculate as to whether of not Beowulf actually existed," Miss Kiloah explained briskly as she sat on the corner of her desk, looking out over the class.

"In many ways, this is similar to our own times and heroes–that I can see. Merek, can you think of one?" she asked, looking at a pink-face boy staring out of the window.

"Huh!" he snapped back into reality. "I'm sorry ma'am. What was the question?" he asked innocently.

Several girls giggled as she repeated her question. "Some say that Beowulf was a legend and other say that he was fact. Can you think of some modern-day examples of this?" she asked patiently.

"Uh..." Merek looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head solemnly. "Not off of the top of my head, no ma'am," he said apologetically.

"Does anyone have a idea. I already told you that I have thought of several, but I want someone in this class to think of at least one!" she scanned the room and looked at Heero.

"Heero, can you think of one?" her eyes sparkled maliciously.

What is with her? Why does she always think that I know everything? Heero wondered.

But nevertheless he named one. "Trieze Kushranada."

Miss Kiloah's eyebrows shot up. "Oh really? And how so?"

"During the war, he was considered a great leader. His men believed in him blindly. To them, he was invincible with all of the answers. Most had never even seen him in person, yet they were sure this anonymity could win the war. I'm not saying that he wasn't a great leader and soldier, I'm just saying that how do we, as civilians, and his men really know that. Most people never met him and yet believe that," Heero finished his explanation.

"That's an interesting thought. Thank you, Heero," she said, her voice carrying an impressed tone.

Huy raised his hand confidently for the first time, and Miss Kiloah nodded to him. "The Gundam Pilots, I think they are an even bigger case than Mr. Kushrenada."

"Okay, how so?" Miss Kiloah prompted.

"Well, we don't know anything about the pilots except that they fought for the colonies–even when we fought against them. I have wondered if they even existed, or if they were just something made up by the Alliance and OZ to force us into war," Huy explained.

"But we do have evidence. A Gundam was destroyed before our eyes during the war, broadcast all over every station. Not to mention the pilot! As I recall, they referred to the pilot as a he, but his hair was unusually long–not to mention he looked incredibly young. Was that not evidence?" the teacher asked slyly.

"Not really. It was over TV and thus could be staged," Huy ventured.

"True, but what about the Barton Incident? If I recall they were there too. Are you telling me, Huy, that you only believe what you see with your own eyes, not through anyone else's?" Miss Kiloah queried.

"I guess..." Huy seemed hesitant to answer. His English teacher was very sneaky and obviously trying to trap him in order to force him to think.

"So anything in any book, you don't believe it because you haven't seen it? The Egyptians didn't build the pyramids because you didn't watch them. The Earth isn't green as the pictures show because you've never been there. And oceans aren't made of salt water because you've never tasted them. Am I right?" Miss Kiloah asked.

Huy just stayed quiet and glared up at his teacher. She had stumped him...again. Why doesn't she ever do this to Heero, he wondered sulkily.

"I have one, ma'am," Culver said boldly from the back of the room.

"Then please share it!" Miss Kiloah invited.

"Zechs Marques, the Lightening Count," he reported. "He was much like Trieze Kushranada, and what's more is that there are rumors that he's survived the Eve Wars after all," Culver smiled triumphantly and shot a glance at Heero.

Is he trying to compete with me? Heero wondered. Moron...

"Well, all three were very good examples. Now I want you all to write and essay about this. Pick something, not one of the suggestions we just received that we must believe from writing and rumors, not first hand. It's due on Friday, and before you ask me how long it needs to be...cough, hack, Culver, cough..." the class snickered at that and Culver sunk into his seat, he was the designated question asker, everyone liked to joke. "I want to remind you that you are in fact seniors, which means after this year, either you will go to college where you will not be babysat and spoon-fed, or you will be on your own completely. Write as much as you see fit. Do not ramble, some of you have problems with that, you know who you are–Jocie," Jocie turned bright red at her words, "And others write without thinking..." she glanced at Huy. "I want you to take this seriously and PLAN WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE BEFORE YOU DO IT!" Miss Kiloah emphasized.

"BRRRRING, BRRRRRRING," the bell rang shrilly. 

"Class dismissed. Don't forget to think before you write!" Miss Kiloah reminded. 

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A/N I know Miss Kiloah doesn't seem that crazy, but I don't have the energy to write a nutty scene. Maybe I'll edit and add one in just for kicks.

Also, I realize that some people have a big problem with Heero being weak and are skeptical about the anemia business. Good. You are the perceptive ones. Let's just say that it is entirely possible for a patient to be misdiagnosed because what the patient actually has is so unlikely that it is over lookedif you catch my drift. And that's all I'm saying about that because I don't want to give anything away.

I'm sorry it takes so long for me to get chapters out, but I have been working like crazy and school is nuts. I didn't even have a real Christmas break because I had a biology project, a take-home Physics test, and I worked constantly. Sorryagain, my offer stands to e-mail you when I put up a new chapter if you really want me to.

Again, I LOVE YOU REVIEWERS! YOU MAKE IT ALL WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!

Nutt'in else to say except now maybe my sister will quit bugging me about this story now that I've written another chapter...

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^.^=


	20. The Little Girl and Her Dog and Fleeing ...

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty 

The Little Girl and Her Dog, and Fleeing From the Pain.

*Disclaimer: Please don't sue me. I don't own GW and I don't pretend to!

Heero stood in the pregnant stillness of night, a detonator in hand. He had a mission and he would carry it out...

He pushed the red button atop the small metal device and a tall cinderblock building erupted into flames.

"Mission complete." He had done it.

Suddenly, a mobile suit began to sway. It overbalanced and then tipped, falling to the side, crushing an obstructing building.

Heero's heart broke as he watched the building smash and burn, crumpling like paper, a paper tower. 

NOOOOOO!!!, his mind screamed, that wasn't supposed to happen!!

He stood there, frozen for a moment, staring up in disbelief, his hand trembling as it griped the flower the little girl with the dog named Mary had given him earlier. His eyes were wide and it seemed that his heart had jumped into them. He could hear silent screams, cries of pain and loss echoing softly from the building--but they were merely in his mind, shades of reality. They were cries made in his own heart for no one to hear or care.

He walked slowly and steadily across the compound, kicking up rock here and there. After heaving up a piece of wall insulation, Heero sunk down to the ground, falling on his skinny legs, his heart beating heavily in his stomach. 

It was the dog, that little dog. Visions of the cheerful little girl taking her dog Mary for a walk flashed through is mind's eye. He saw her smiling at him, asking about him. He held the flower she had given him.

That little girl and her dog. She had wondered if he was lost. She said that it was sad he had been lost ever since he had been born. She seemed to care, though she skipped on to her happy little world.

That little girl and her dog. They didn't deserve to die. They didn't have to. They were so happy and carefree. Why couldn't he have died in her place, end his miserable existence. 

That little girl and her dog. They were dead because of him. It had been an accident, but there was no room for mistakes. It was his fault, all his fault. They died unnecessarily because of HIM.

His mind swirled. He was lost and confused and hurting. He couldn't understand why he had to kill...why him...why not someone else...why anyone at allwhy was this necessary. All he could do was numbly carry the dog to a clearing and bury it, leaving the flower on its tiny grave, a mound of dirt...he sat down on the hard frozen ground, soft ice flakes swirling around him. He rested his hand on the flower once more, as if bidding it goodbye... something cold and wet nudged him from underneath the wilting flower...the dog's nose?...but she was dead...his faulthis fault hurt

Heero shot up from his position under a tree in the school's court yard and looked down to see a golden retriever nudging him with his cold nose, snow flakes swirling round him. The hyperactive dog climbed onto his lap in order to reach Heero's cheek and lick him enthusiastically.

"Valcor," Heero said softly as he stroked the animal's head, rubbing him behind the ears. "Are you running from Etrea again?" he asked to bouncy dog.

"VALCOR!! YOU STUPID MUTT!!! GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!" Etrea screamed at the top of her lungs from rounding the corner, puffs of her breath condensed to form little clouds.

Heero smirked down at the dog.

"VALCOR!! VAL....Heero? Or is it Huy this time?" Etrea asked, head cocked and hands slipping off of her padded hips--winter coats make it difficult to stand with ones hands on ones hips.

"Heero," he said softly.

"He really does love you, ya' know that? He always seems to run to you. Strange how that works," Etrea speculated as she walked over and collapsed heavily on the snowy ground, a large puff dissolving into the slight breeze. Her face was red with cold and laughter, eyes sparkling as usual.

Heero shrugged and stood up to leave, giving to hyperactive dog one final pat. "Not really. They sense who their friends are and they go to themI'm not necessarily a friend, but I won't hurt him," Heero said over his shoulder.

Etrea wondered for a second why Heero would even think of hurting the animal, but she did not voice her thoughts. "Heero, where are you going?" she said instead, stopping him before he walked away.

"I have an essay to write."

"Oh. The one for Miss Kiloah?" Heero nodded. "Yah, I have to write it too..."

"Heero!! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Huy yelled, out of breath.

Heero realized with a start how long he had been out and that Huy must have been worried about him after his strange behavior as of late.

Valcor lowered himself to the soft surface, and growled, his haunches raised. Huy looked down at the dog nervously and said, "Come on Heero. I--um--need your help with something."

"With what something?"

"Oh, just something," he said eyeing the dog. Valcor suddenly snapped up and attached himself to Huy's pant leg.

"Ger'off you stupid dog!!" Etrea yelled, laughing without restraint. She grabbed the leash and yanked back fiercely, thus dislodging the dog.

"Doesn't like you much," Heero observed in a slight mocking tone.

Huy glared at the dog and grabbed Heero's arm. "As I was saying, I need help!" He stomped off, holding onto Heero's forearm securely, down the street and toward the boys' dorms.

Etrea smiled at Heero's retreating back as she wrestled with the energetic animal.

"I dunno what's up with that dog...he used to like me, but now...he just growls and snaps at me!"

"Maybe you smell funny."

Huy shrugged. "Who knows, but I do shower often."

"I take it you were just worried that I'd collapsed somewhere and don't really need anything," Heero said softly.

Huy smiled guiltily. "What were you doing there anyway?"

"Just thinking. I was trying to figure out what I should write for Miss Kiloah, actually."

Huy raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Did you figure anything out?"

"Sort of..." Heero trailed off, his eyes unfocused in a slightly dreamy but serious expression.

Huy's eyebrow raised higher. "You okay?"

Heero snapped back to the present. "Yes," he declared shortly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You sure your gonna be okay without me round to make sure to eat and sleep and don't faint where no on will find you?" Huy asked, cramming his English book into the large black duffel bag that he was taking to Earth. This year, the colony's delegates wanted to have some interaction between teenagers of the Earth and colonies. This was one of there ideas–they picked a high school close to a spaceport in the vicinity of the Earth below the colony for them to go to. Huy was jumping around the school half the time, he was so excited. He had never been to Earth before and he had gotten a B on his first essay in Miss Kiloah's class–he had written about the Abominable Snowman.

"I'll be fine. I'm not a baby and I can take care of myself. I did it for years before I met you," Heero said firmly.

"I don't know. You've been looking awfully peaked lately," Huy said dubiously.

"Don't worry about me. If it'll make you feel any better, I plan to stay in populated areas."

Huy smiled brightly. "You will!" Heero nodded. "You promise?!?"

"Don't push me."

"Okay, okay..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero rolled over in bed and climbed out sluggishly. Saturdays were always so lazy. Usually Heero and Huy goofed off with the other guys at a movie, the mall, or some other place, but he really wasn't feeling up to it and Huy wasn't here to push him. He had been so reclusive previous to his arrival at Lowery that Huy insisted on dragging him everywhere.

Huy should be arriving about now, Heero thought to himself, looking out the window to see what kind of day the weather control had on the schedule.

He yawned quietly and bundled up a change of clothes, a towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, and some toothpaste and headed for the bathroom.

Heero opened one of the shower stalls, put his stuff on the bench, undressed, and climbed into the shower letting the warm water cascade down over him. He scrubbed himself vigorously, but had to be carefully with the long bruise across his chest. He had got it over a month ago, but it was still large and painful–it had never taken this long for him to heal, especially something as small as a bruise.

It had happened when he got dizzy and dropped the barbell on himself while Huy, the wonder spot, was daydreaming. He hadn't told anyone, but it *really* hurt and it wasn't getting any better. 

Heero got out of the shower, dressed, went over to a sink to brush his teeth. It was still only seven or so, and no one got up that early on a Saturday so the bathroom was still void of all except himself. He had been sleeping later, but he was getting behind on school work and since Huy wasn't here to sit on him when he didn't go to bed or got up to early, he was going to make the most of his time.

Heero went back to the room, put on his shoes and socks, loaded up his back pack, and took a white worn box held shut with rubber bands out from under his bed. He had a little errand to take care of before he could go to the library.

As he walked down the sidewalk, he kicked up a random rock or nodded at a stranger. Eventually he entered the inner city, eyes alert and searching. 

Down an ally, a stream of people huddled together in rags crouched over small fires inside of large metal oil drums. Heero hesitantly approached the small circles; a particularly dirty woman glared at him from under her matted hair. Heero felt wretched for his clean, sturdy clothes and shamefacedly continued down the street toward the waste disposal area at the end of the alleys. Heero quietly climbed over a chain-linked fence and advanced to one of the large disposal tanks. When Heero reached the tank the farthest away from prying eyes, he grabbed onto the iron ladder and pulled himself up on top of the tank. He fiddled with the keypad until he managed to pry open a small opening in the top. The smell of raw sewage nearly knocked him down. The tank was full as it was about to be shipped off and disposed of. 

Heero set the cardboard box down on the semi-flat surface and pulled the rubber bands from his box. He took off the lid and then, one by one, he dropped each item that was in the box down into the sewage tank so that they would be lost forever. 

Heero smirked at the irony of the situationhis pointless, murderous, horrible, dirty past lost into tons of human waste.

After twenty minutes, Heero turned away, climbed down the ladder, jumped the fence, and strode off quietly, heading off to the city's public library down the street that he had discovered his first day here–it was a much better one that the schools. 

For the first time in several days, however, his head wasn't hurting.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Huy climbed out of the shower and quickly dried himself, beating everyone else out of the locker room. They had just played their first game against a local high school winning with a safe margin–36 to 28. Huy knew that he was supposed to wait for the rest of the team, but he wanted to wander around. 

He left the building and changed his mind about skipping out after seeing his coach and one of the managers standing by the bus. Slumping down onto a near bench, Huy pulled his knees up to his chest and silently plotted how to get out on his own without punishment. He wanted to explore the place, but all the stupid adults were restricting them.

Eventually, everyone else finished showering and dressing and ambled onto the bus, their minds sluggish from the quick adrenaline rush followed by the lack thereof. Huy plopped into a seat sulkily, glaring at the back of the seat in front of him. He didn't want to stay in the hotel all night, they were the same everywhere–he wanted to see EARTH.

"Whassamatter with you?" Jimbo asked as he heavily plunked down next to his disgruntled friend.

"What makes you say something's wrong?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the fact that you are glaring daggers at a vinyl seat."

Huy grumbled under his breath about "missing perfect opportunity" and "stupid rules" the rest of the way to the hotel.

Huy tossed and turned in his double bed, Jimbo's snores could be heard from the other bed. He couldn't sleep and the rattling air conditioner was driving him insane. Off and on, off and on, off and on...first freezing and he'd wrap himself up tight, the he would start sweating like a pig...back and forth...

Finally he sat up, giving up the fight for sleep, and slinked out of bed. He dressed silently and slipped out of the room noiselessly, pocketing one of the two room keys.

He ran out onto the deserted street and breathed in a large whiff of polluted air, then hacked loudly, sputtering slightly. He turned around to look back at the hotel and noted on his watch that it was only midnight.

How on EARTH did we all get to bed so EARLY? Huy wondered just before sprinting down the lamp lighted street, crisp cool air penetrating his coat.

After wandering the streets for half an hour, Huy found an all-night convenience store and sat down to rest on a little wooden bench out front.

"Heero?" a soft, hoarse voice asked timidly.

Huy whirled around, memories of his last encounter with someone who thought him Heero in the front of his mind. "It's really you, ain't it?" the voice croaked. Huy could now see that it belonged to a short black-headed boy with a rather flat nose and a scar along his chin. The boy was timidly advancing, as if afraid to believe what he saw was true.

"No, I'm not Heero, but I know him," Huy to the boy.

"You're not, I mean, you look JUST like him, and..." he trailed off, apparently bewildered.

"We're not related. We both go to the same boarding school on one of the colonies. We're roomies, actually," Huy explained.

"Yah, he said he was probably going to be sent to a private boarding school. He was taking a bunch of tests when I left. What are you here for?"

"I play on the basketball team...we came here for a game," Huy told him. "Who'er you?"

"Huh?" the boy seemed startled for a minute. "Oh, yah..." he grinned stupidly. "I'm an old friend of Heero's. We–uh–went to school together..." he trailed off. "Anyway, my name is Donny Johnson."

"Huy Iwasato. Actually, Heero told me a little about your colony, but somehow I think he was down playing how bad it was there. He's been REALLY sick. He's collapsed twice!!"

"AGAIN!!" Donny yelled suddenly.

Huy jumped up. "You mean he was doing that on the old colony?!?"

"Well, not a lot, but he was REALLY, REALLY, REALLY sick for a while. He was working his rear off, and then his apartment was closed down, so he had to move in with me until he found another one, which he couldn't do of course...then there was work and poor pay..."

"Heero was HOMELESS for a while? He never told me anything about that!!"

"I'm not surprised. He never told me much about himself either...not that that's surprising..."

"Why isn't it surprising?"

"Well, most war veterans are pretty screwed up aren't they?" Donny said this as if it were the most commonsensical thing in the world. "I am, so was Gadeth and Zoram."

Huy's mouth dropped nearly to the ground. "I knew it!" he said in a strange, excited, calm sort of whisper. "I KNEW IT!!" he yelled excitedly. "He wouldn't tell me straight out, but I knew it!!" He began to laugh uncontrollably. 

"Uh, are you all right..." Donny asked, his eyebrows knit together, slightly perplexed.

"I'm sorry, but as I'm sure you know, getting Heero to talk about himself is harder that pulling your own teeth that aren't loose!! Now I can bug him and maybe I can get some straight answers outta him!"

"Why do you care so much what has happened to him?"

"You're his friend, you should understand why I care!!"

"Yah, and I also know that, as a war vet myself, people sometimes don't want to talk about their pasts because it's too painful and it's better to not think about it. And some don't talk cause no one listens. Besides, even if someone DOES listen, no one ever really understands...they say oh my GOSH, that's horrible,' but they don't get it. They don't understand what's really going on in your mind. Yah it's bad, but that ain't the POINT."

"What it the point?" Huy asked, very confused.

"THAT'S what I mean. You people don't get it...there is no POINT, that's the POINT."

Huy looked at him, completely and utterly lost.

Suddenly Donny broke the silence with his easy contagious laughter. 

"What?" Huy demanded loudly.

"You have no IDEA how strange it is to see Heero confused," he sniggered.

Then Huy joined in laughing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero shouldered his heavy bag and waded through unshoveled snowdrifts toward his dorm. The library had just closed. He inserted his key and kicked the snow off of his shoes. Maybe it was the weather, but he was feeling extra grim today...

Shoving open his dorm door, Heero tossed his bag onto his bed.

"I met your friend Donny!" a very familiar voice chanted in a singsong voice. For some reason, that made Heero extremely nervous.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?"

Heero lied down flat on his bed, closing his eyes, shutting out the upside down face dangling from the bed above him.

"You're back," Heero stated.

"You were in the war..." Huy prompted as if Heero hadn't said anything. "Aren't you going to refute it or something?" Huy egged on.

"Why?"

"You're impossible!" Huy laughed.

Weird boy... Heero commented to himself before sitting up and pulling out his calculus book.

"AND I learned that you collapsed before on that other colony." Huy sat back, waiting to see the result of his words.

He didn't get one.

"I also found out that you were homeless."

"I was never homeless,' Huy. I moved in with Donny," Heero finally answered.

"He speaks!!!"

Heero glared and buried his face in the textbook.

Huy seemed to realize the futility of attempting to get Heero to talk because he muttered, "I'm going to take a shower..." before walking off sulkily.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning Heero was awoken at 2 a.m. by a moth fluttering in the hall by a nightlight. He had been having trouble sleeping now. First he couldn't get enough and would probably have slept through a bomb raid, and now a MOTH could wake him.

Heero rolled over on his stomach and immediately regretted it as a sharp pain shot up throughout his chest. Darn bruise...he inwardly muttered, pushing himself onto his back again. 

After several hours of tossing from left side, back, right side and back again fifty times, he finally decided that sleep just wasn't going to come. He had counted millions of sheep, but they were not making him sleepy, just annoyed...their ceaseless maaing was driving him insane. Out of desperation, he pulled out his English book, grabbed a flashlight, and yanked the blankets over his head to read...

He must have fallen asleep finally because he awoke with his face stuck to his book in a small pool of saliva and Huy shaking him vigorously. "Get UP you lazy bum!" he could hear Huy's voice nagging in the back of his brain.

Too tired...too sleepy...too sore...wait! Why on earth was he sore? His muscles ached and throbbed. "Sorry...couldn't...sleep last night...let me sleep...a ...little...longer..." he managed to get out. 

"Well, whose fault is that! GET UP NOW!!" Huy retorted.

He grunted as he finally jerked himself out of bed and got dressed, but had to stop halfway through when Huy informed him that he was attempting to put his legs through his shirt's arm holes...this was not going to be a good day.... Dragging himself to the bathroom, he brushed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face in an unsuccessful attempt to wake himself up. He could feel Huy handing him his backpack and dragging him down the hall, but he was in such a daze that he hardly noticed the cool February air that hit his face as they left the dorm building.

If someone had asked him what he had had for breakfast, he would have said nothing,' for indeed, that's what he had. But if someone had asked him if his food made a comfy pillow, he would have said yes, but so is the table top.' 

All through the day Heero dragged himself at the pace of a turtle with a broken leg from class to class, hardly noticing when he bumped into people in the halls. Maybe that's why he just couldn't feel happy for Huy when Miss Kiloah announced that he had won some essay contest. It must have been a big deal because the class cheered and Huy looked as if he were about to cry. Heero wanted to congratulate him, maybe Huy would finally start to see his own worth, but Heero just couldn't wake up enough to make his mouth form the words. 

After class, he and Huy trudged back to their dorm. "Hey Heero aren't you happy for me!!"

"Hmphgle..." was all Heero could force out.

Huy looked hurt, obviously interpreting Heero's response as that of indifference. "But I even wrote that one without your help!" Huy's voice was rising in pitch with each syllable. "Oh I get it. You're just mad because you didn't win. Well, sorry buddy but you can't always be the winner!" he almost shrieked, his voice cracking.

Heero wanted to tell him that of course he was proud, that now, maybe, Huy could stop degrading himself and see his own talent. He wanted to smile and say I told you so. He wanted to explain his reaction, but his larynx wouldn't articulate the words as Huy slammed out of the room. 

Maybe if he hadn't been so extremely sleepy, he would have felt bad, but then again, if he wasn't so sleepy, he would have said something encouraging. The truth was, he couldn't even remember what the essay was about, but that wouldn't matter because all he had to do was say good job.' But he couldn't do it. He was too tired.

He wanted to sleep...yes...an eternal sleep sounded wonderful. He could crawl into bed and never get up...a long dreamless sleep void of crying children and bloody fields. In his sleep, he would no longer have to make choices, he wouldn't have to face the thousands of people living on the colony. He could hide up in his cocoon of soft blankets. Nothing would hurt. No pain, no sorrow, no death. He wanted to be free from the pain...to flee from the pain...an eternal sleep...sounds so...good.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Yah, I know, I crammed a lot of stuff into this chapter, but I have to get this thing moving...thanks for reading and questions/comments/and outbursts are welcome (please don't be to harsh with the outbursts part...)

Note: Yes, this story is going to get a bit angsty and complicated, but not too bad. As A.K.A. Anonymous said, I have a LOT of strings to pull together, and they will pull because I wrote from end to beginning (I figured out the ending before I planned the beginning, except the whole, kill of main character' thing–but that's been decided now too). Also, I'm planning around thirty chapters. I'm not certain, but it seems to be working out that way. I originally had more like thirty-five, but then I combined a bunch to have fewer, longer chapters.

Also, I know that Ai means love in Japanese. That's why I picked it for her name. That's great that you picked up on that!! I think that love pretty much wraps up Ai's character.

Thank you so much for your feed back. I can never tell you how important it is to me. I know that if people write back that I'm doing a good job. And if I do something wrong, I have lots of people to help me see it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! YOU ARE ANGELS!!!

Tooldes for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	21. De-Fogging and a Turning Point

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-one

The De-Fogging and a Turning Point

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to Bandai, Sunrise, and Sotsu. I am making no profit whatsoever from this except personal enjoyment. Don't sue because all you'll get is a couple DBZ mangas, an assortment of Japanese CDs, and a blue and purple lava lamp (you might be able to get some of my book collection, but you'll have to fight me to the death for those!).

**Warning: You may wish to shoot me after this chapter—extremely evil cliffhanger ahead. There will also be evil and malicious cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter after this until the end of the story. Also, I am upping the rating to PG-13 for future violence (the crappy fight scene is coming up in the next couple chapters).

Heero woke up one morning suddenly realizing that it was March. He had practically slept through February, oblivious to everything, but now, for some reason, his mind was as clear as it had ever been. He could think and speak. The last month was a haze, but he could still remember some things such as the essay contest. Huy was being his cheerful, usual self, but Heero could tell he was still hurt by his tutor's lack of pride in him.

For the first time in months, Heero was able to push himself up out of bed painlessly. His chest no longer throbbed...the bruise had finally healed. Heaven only knew how his grades had dropped...hopefully he could redeem himself now that his brain was working properly again.

He could hear Huy humming merrily as he stepped into their dorm, hair dripping on the carpet.

First things first, Heero thought. He had to put things right with Huy.

"Good morning sunshine!" Huy chirped.

"Morning," Heero returned.

Huy stopped in his tracks and stared at his friend as if he had never seen anything like him. "What?" Heero asked blankly.

"Yo-you actually said something..." Huy said softly.

"Yah, I...Huy, I'm really sorry for that past month. I have been really...out of it. I can't really explain, but it's like February never really happened—a little like when something happened so long ago that you're not really sure if it was a dream or not. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I've cleared up...at least for now. I didn't mean to be rude or cruel, and I'm really very proud of you for the essay. I'm sorry I couldn't say so earlier...that's actually one of the few things that I can remember from last month." Heero stopped and looked down at his hands. Man, was this awkward. He didn't know how to be nice or apologize. He just didn't do stuff like that... 

"Sorry," Heero mumbled again.

The two boys stood in silence for a seemingly endless ten seconds, looking intently at the floor.

"It's okay Heero..." Huy said softly.

"No it's not, I..."

"YES it is," Huy cut Heero off. Then both boys grinned identical grins and shrugged.

"Wow!!"

"What?" Heero wondered.

"You actually GRINNED!" Huy said in an elated awe.

"I did not..."

"Yes you did!"

"No I did not..."

"Did too!"

"Did not..."

"Did too!"

"Did not..."

"Will you two SHUT UP!! Have you any idea how incredibly ANNOYING that is!!" they could hear Culver yell irritably.

The boys looked at each other and then grinned...maliciously.

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT..."

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT.."

"ARRGGGGGG!!!" Culver screeched.

"Well, it's nice to see you back with the living Heero," Miss Kiloah whispered softly as she handed Heero the test for _Billy Bud_. Heero nodded numbly and began to write.

Everyone was giving him funny looks and one guy had asked him who his dealer was. Heero only hoped that he hadn't done anything too stupid.

"Ya know Heero, it's really lucky that you snapped out of it when you did," Huy told him during lunch as he chomped on his hamburger. "I think they were planning on dragging you in for a drug test."

"Well, they wouldn't have found anything because I'm not on anything."

"Then you need to see a doctor because you were just scary."

"I don't need a doct"

Huy cut him off. "Don't need one!! For crying out loud!! Quit fooling yourself and quit acting like a child!!!" he yelled slamming his cup on the table splashing red drink everywhere. The entire room had gone silent and was staring at Huy. Huy suddenly realized that everyone was staring at him so he yelled "What're you lookin' at!!" and continued to glare at Heero.

"I don't know why you have such a stigma about doctors Heero, but if I see any more odd behavior, and I mean ANY, then I'm going to drag you by your ankles if need be! I won't let you collapse on me."

Well, then I just have to do a lot of acting, Heero thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"MEEP, MEEP, MEEP!!"

"Wufei, can you get that out of the fax!" Sally yelled from the other room.

"Since when do I take orders from you!" Wufei yelled back and opened his inbox. 

What in theWufei wondered as he scanned an e-mail. 

"Wufei, don't be so stubborn!" Sally sighed out, exasperated.

"Sally, take a look at this and tell me what you think."

Sally sauntered over and peered over his shoulder at the message. "Wha?!?! Just delete it. I'm surprised more people don't try to hire you for erroneous jobs. Don't worry about out it," she shrugged as she pulled out a pile of paper from the fax.

"Then how did they get my e-mail address?"

"I don't know. They probably did a little research and made some guesses. Nataku@preventor.gov isn't that hard to come up with."

Wufei glared and clicked off his e-mail, but didn't erase the odd message.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jimbo snapped his gum loudly and flipped the page of his physics book. "Anyone understand this force normal crap?"

"Yah," Culver said stiffly.

Jimbo looked up expectantly, but when Culver didn't continue he snapped, "Well, aren't you going to tell me about it?"

Culver looked up innocently, "Oh, I didn't realize that you wanted my help when Heero is around and could do so much better. I'm sorry."

"Culver, can't you just grow up! And why don't you remove that pole from your crack while you're at it. Geesh, why in the heck are you so jealous! It's driving me nutsHeero hasn't done anything to you. Why do you hate him so much?"

Culver stiffened and stomped out of the room.

"What is with him?" Kumen asked.

Neas and Jimbo shook their heads in disgust.

"Hey, what's with Culv. I just passed him stomping down the hall," Huy inquired as he entered the room.

"I told him to grow up when he got sarcastic about Heero again."

Huy rolled his eyes. "Well, that answers my question. I came to see if Heero was here."

"Can't you find him?" Jimbo asked.

"Nope."

"Come on, we better all look for him. After last month, the weight incident, collapsing, and God only knows what else, I don't think he should ever be alone. You said you never saw him taking anything—what the heck's going on?" Neas wondered.

"I don't know. I've pestered him. Something is just, just, WRONG. I don't get it. Can you help me find him? We can talk while we look."

"Yah, sure. Let's go." Kumen jumped up.

Heero sat quietly in the library flipping through a medical manual when the four boys sidled into the empty chairs around the table. "Heero, what cha' readin'?" Huy asked innocently.

"I'm doing a little research for a project," he lied, trying to hide the book. But Huy didn't give him the chance. He yanked to book out of his hand and scanned the page Heero had been on. The other boys gathered around him and read along to. Heero glared helplessly.

"I doubt that it's the flu since it's been going one for months now. Look for something chronic, like diabetes or somthin'," Neas whispered over Huy's shoulder.

"Yah, makes sense. Don't know why I didn't think of this before" he said as he flipped through the pages. "Cataracts?"

Neas smack Huy on the side of the head. "Owe! What was that for?" Huy whispered loudly. 

"Cataracts are in the eyes you doufus!!"

"Well, excu-u-use me!"

"What about diabetes? Look that up," Jimbo changed the subject.

"No, I don't think he has that. I was just saying it's probably something like that."

"Hey guys, where's Heero?" Kumen piped up.

All four stared at where Heero had been only to find an empty seat. "Crap!" they all four whispered.

"Will you guys quit following me around everywhere. I am fine. I do not need a babysitter!" Heero grunted as he sped walked down the icy sidewalk, hands deep in his pockets.

"Apparently you do after everything that you've pulled, and we are not leaving you alone until you see a doctor and are diagnosed and get medicine," Neas said flatly.

"But there is nothing wrong with me!"

"YES THERE IS!!" the four boys yelled and grabbed Heero by the arms, carrying him to the dorms.

Every morning for the following several weeks, the whole group got Heero up, forced him into the showers, fed him a nasty red liquid they called medicine that was supposed to cure aches and pains and dizziness, and then dragged him into the spring air to run four miles. They then forced him into the showers again, dragged him into breakfast where he ate eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice, and whatever else they could stuff down his throat. They went to classes, studied together after school and hung out together. He also had medicine' at lunch and dinner. The strange thing was, Heero was actually feeling better.

But why would the boys care so much what happened to him, Heero often wondered to himself. He was a murderer, an assassinhe wasn't humanat least not until recently. As much as he loathed admitting it to himself, he was feeling more and more human every day. Memories faded, which surprised Heero. Pictures as vivid as Mary and the little girl did not fade easily, yet, by some miraculous inexplicable way, they weredissipating. A vapor, smoke, rising into the air, carried away by a gentle breeze. It was a little disturbing to Heero at first, but as he grew used to it, became relaxed and almost cheerful at times...key word being almost'.

The changing had actually begun a long while ago, and it happened so gradually that Heero hardly noticed. But finally Heero discarded ALL weapons, including some of the emotional barriers separating himself from others. It made him nervous, but now he was learning to trust. Huy made him see that people could be kind and could be trusted. All people were still weak in Heero's eyes, but now he saw that people could find strength within each other, between loved-ones.

Last night, when Heero had one of his now rare dreams and fell awake, he called to his friend for reassurance. And Huy was there, the same as always. That Huy constant company was a totally foreign idea and feeling for Heero—that there were people who wanted to help him, that he did not always have to be the one to give. After giving himself to the world, literally, it was nice for someone to try and give back to him, now that he could bring himself to accept the love and companionship. Next he had to allow himself to become close to Jimbo, Neas, Kumen, and Culverwell, maybe not Culver. Strangely enough, Heero understood Culver the most out of all the boys. He had seen enough unjustified hatred and jealously in his life time and he was not surprised at all to find it—that was just one more person to add to the list of the selfish and egotistical. It was Jimbo and Kumen's innocence and simplicity that confused Heero. They seemed so void of malice, just playful affectionate teasing. They were just little boys in Heero's eyes. However, he could semi-understand Neas. The dark Arabian was much more serious and less naïve—Heero could sense a strength about him, not like Huy's innate loving nature and kindness, but a strength nevertheless. 

That made Heero remember Huy's family. It was easy to see where Huy's nature had been born and cultivated. The family was the strongest Heero had ever seen, but then that was not a good statement because the Iwasato family was really the only one he had ever seen. Certainly he had seen Relena and Zechs interact, but that did not really count considering the situation.

But he could not help smiling at the thought of Huy's family. 

Yachi had started writing him, and her letters always made him happy, especially when Ai added a note to the end asking how he was and if Huy was really doing as well as he claimed to be. Once in a while, Toshi added something to the letter and Gina even said hi through an e-mail to Huy. Mr. Iwasato had never written, but Heero could see that he was not the letter writing type—he did not even write to Huy, his own son.

To be loved was a new feeling to him, rejuvenating and peaceful. He had in no way ever felt peace before. And Heero had never felt so good as he did at that moment, laying in his bed in the dark, listening to Huy toss in his sleep, the "moon-light" flowing through the window, dirty socks sprawled all over the floor, the blue plastic trash can overflowing with half-finished essays and notes. This was where he belonged. This was home.

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"This is crazy! You are all morons!! We are so going to get caught!! Never in a million years are we going to be able to pass ourselves as twenty-one!!" Culver whispered harshly.

"Oh, don't be such a weenie, Culv," Kumen smacked Culver on the back, half dragging him into the bar.

Neas and Huy were both grinning like mad idiots at Culver's reluctance as they took up seats in a little booth. Heero sat stoically down next to Jimbo, whose head stuck up above the back of the bench.

"I still say this is stupid," the English boy glared down as he crossed his arms self-righteously.

The six boys sat quietly talking amongst themselves, trying not to attract any attention. A waitress named Betty with excessively faded violet curly hair, candy-apple painted lips, electric blue eye-shadow, and a short cheerleader skirt appeared at their table, popping her gum loudly, her bespeckeld eyes trained on the little yellow pad in her hand. "Wut kin I geet you fellas?" she asked in her abnormally low, husky, smokers voice. She didn't seem to notice that half the boys sitting before her could not even shave yet.

Heero glanced around her hips to see four men sitting quietly with their drinks several tables over. They were all wearing coats and heavy boots. Heero narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing them. He barely heard Kumen order beer, Culver, timidly, a Bloody Mary, Jimbo a margarita, and Neas vodka.

After pausing to hack and cough for five minutes, she queried pointedly at Heero, "Wut'll you ha-ave?" 

He imperceptibly jumped as she prodded him with her ink pen, the ends covered in teeth marks. "Orange juice."

"Weith wut?" she asked, writing quickly.

"Nothing, just orange juice."

She paused for a second and starred blankly, looking down at him through her hot pink point glassless glasses. "Kid, this ain't Mickey D's."

"I know," Heero said flatly.

She sighed and shook her head, "Awllrahtif that's wut you wa-ant." She looked over at Huy. "Wut bout you?"

Huy looked at an invisible spot above her head, as if in deep thought. He sighed as she tapped a foot impatiently. "I'll have the same as him," he said motioning to Heero.

Betty shook her head, snapped her gum, and disappeared through the clouds of cigarette smoke, wagging her middle-aged hips.

The boys looked at Heero and Huy, stunned, until Neas broke the tense silence.

"Man, that last game was awesome. That last point, Jimbo was amazing"

Heero wasn't really listening as he focused on the men. They were talking normally and laughing, but Heero could've sworn he recognized one of them. He tried to shake it off and joined in his friend's conversation.

"The coach was being a total dickhead though," Jimbo was saying. "He's never happy. He off your case yet, Huy?"

"Nah, he just keeps going'Huy, You're just not playing like you used to', Huy, you shouldn't have missed that basket', Huy, tie your shoe laces', Huy, wipe my butt.' He never shuts his trap!!"

Suddenly, Heero felt eyes on him. Someone was watching him—that strange sub-conscious sensation like someone is standing over your shoulder, and he knew exactly who it was.

"JUICE? ORANGE JUICE?!?!" the topic of conversation had changed abruptly during Heero's observations. "We sneak out of our dorms, risking suspension, to go to a bar—UNDERAGED—and you order ORANGE JUICE? BOTH OF YOU?!?!?" Culver screeched.

"Ya, what's your point?" Huy asked, apparently unaffected. "And keep your voice down—you're being louder than Kumen."

Heero abruptly stood up. "I have to go," he said simply and weaved his way through the tables to the back door. Kumen and Jimbo sat with their mouths open.

"Do you think he was offended?" Neas asked.

"No, Heero doesn't get insulted easily. Even if he is, he doesn't act like that," Huy told his companions. "I'm going after him. Something's up."

Huy got up and followed Heero's trail to the back door.

The night air was crisp and cool, the silence deafening. Huy looked up and down the deserted ally, but there was no sign of Heero. "Where did you go" he muttered softly under his breath. As he started to turn, he bumped into someone who had been directly behind him. "Oh, sorry, didn't see ya there man"

"I've been waiting for this opportunity to speak with you alone. Follow me--this ally is too public," the man said.

Huy raised an eyebrow and looked, once more, up and down the deserted and "public" ally, then at the vaguely familiar tall blond man. "Listen, I may be young, but I'm not stupidI'm not going anywhere with you."

"Then I suppose we'll just have our little discussion out here. How would you like to help us?"

"Helplisten, I don't know who you are or what you are talkin'"

The man cut off Huy with a harsh, sarcastic laugh, then his head snapped forward to glare at Huy. "Quit lying boy, you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No, I don"

"Will, you help us? You must be bored amidst all the peace of Miss Peacecraft's ruling. You have no purpose out of battle, and she has ceased all battlessomething none of us ever believed possible. Will you help us create meaning again?" the man asked.

"I told you, I haven't a CLUE who you are or WHAT you are talking about, so just leave me alone." Huy was about to very wisely walk away, when the man laughed again.

"I can see that you need a little persuasion. I can arrange that."

Huy suddenly felt very afraid and was about to run when a hand came down from behind and cracked him on the neck. Huy fell to the ground in a heap as four men who had recently been in the bar picked him up and walked away.

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A/N Wheew!! I have been so excited to write this chapter because this was the starting point of the story. The whole bar scene just walked into my head one day and then a figured out a story it could go into. Weird, huh? UmI meant to warn you in the last chapter, but I forgot—when you all talked about the huge cliffhangers, I couldn't understand. It didn't think that anything I had written up to this point was any kind of cliffhanger, but from now on, there will be what I consider major cliffhangers. But don't worry, I will try my hardest to update every two weeks. I won't leave you hanging, I promise. 

Um, if you can't understand some of the dialects that I wrote in this chapter and chapters to come, read it out loud and pronounce stuff as it is spelled. That may help—hehe, for Betty, I'm actually writing how I used to talk (I lost the accent when I switched schools, but I can still do a fair imitation). Anyway, enough rambling that you don't really care about, thanks for reading (and the box loves you ^_~)!!

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	22. Searching...

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Two

Searching

Disclaimer: You know what I'm going to write. I don't own Gundam Wing, I'm not making any money, etc.

Heero walked pseudo-calmly down the street with his jacket collar pulled up to his chin, hands casually in his pockets. He would have loved to sprint, but he wanted to remain as inconspicuous as possible, so he forced himself to walk slowly. His heart was racing though. It had been almost an entire year since he had done any fighting of any kind. He had changed so much, and he was not about to let some low-life war hawk terrorists ruin his newly discovered life.

Stopping in front of the stone dorm building, Heero gazed up at the darkened windows. 

His home.

They should have never snuck out. He had had a horrible premonition earlier, but ignored it as paranoia. 

He should have trusted his instincts.

Heero closed his eyes for a moment, soaking in the moonlight, mentally reliving his observations. _Where_ had he seen those men before, or more specifically, the blond one?

Finally, he shook of the heavy feelings and strode over to the huge willow tree, swung easily into its branches, climbed through the propped open window, and slithered down the hall to his dorm. Quietly, he changed his clothes and climbed into bed, hoping that the others would be all right—he would only cause trouble if he stayed near.

But icy-cold fear would not leave him, it was like a huge lump of grease settled firmly in the pit of his stomach. His instincts kept on blinking red danger signals. Someone knew who he was, someone knew where he was, and someone wanted to utilize his skills.

The last time that Heero looked at the green fluorescent light of his alarm clock before he dozed off warily, it read two thirty in the morning.

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"Don't you think that it was rather odd?" a man with brown hair wearing a red toboggan asked.

"I told you already, he probably has just gotten soft. Once we convince him to join us, we'll help him get back into shapereal quick," the black haired man in a forest green coat reasoned back, never taking his eyes from the road, both hand firmly on the steering wheel.

"But stillhe looked so surprised, innocent. An experienced person, even out of the loop, should have known better than to show his vulnerability. That's just stupidand sloppy," the other man mumbled almost inaudibly, his fingertips dancing nervously across the dashboard.

"Just don't worry about it man!" another comforted from the back of the van.

Suddenly the blond man's eyes shot open. "Keep it down. We don't want to wake him before we get him somewhere more secure. He may even be faking. I agree with Jensin. This is odd."

The man in the driver's seat looked sheepish for a moment as the one in the passenger seat continued to grate on everyone's nerves with his noisy idiosyncrasy.

"I thought I said to be quiet," the blond man reminded sternly.

"Sorry," he mumbled meekly and grabbed his hand back from the dashboard.

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Heero's eyes slid opensomething had woken him up. Glancing over at the clock, he glared at nothing and pulled to covers over his head.

Tap tap.

Heero shot up. That's what had woken him up! He glared at the clock, which read six o'clock, and grudgingly got out of bed.

He flung open the door but was silenced before he could yell at the offenders. "Have you seen Huy?" Kumen whispered very loudly.

Heero stopped and thought a second, then glanced up at the top bunk bed. Huy wasn't there.

"I take it he's not with you," Heero stated quickly. "When did you last see him?"

"After you left. He got up and followed where you went, wanted to make sure you were okay, I think."

Heero's eyes grew large. "He what!?! Crap, we've got to find him fast! Have you asked anyone else?"

"No. It seemed most likely that he'd be with you," Neas explained.

Heero turned back into his room, the other boys in tow, and quickly changed back into yesterday's cloths. "Are you sure he went to follow me?"

"Positive," Culver answered, quickly and nervously.

"Stay here. I'll try to find him."

"I'm coming with you," Neas whispered.

"Me too," Jimbo, Culver, and Kumen all said softly.

Heero shook his head. "I should look for him myself. Get some sleep—you'll be dead tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Saturday, Heero," Culver said shortly.

"Besides," Neas continued, "we lost him."

"No. You all stay here, and if I'm not back in three hours, call the police."

"WHAT!! He's just out there somewhere. I'm sure that he's fine. What do we need the police fo" Heero interrupted Jimbo's nervous ramble.

"This is a lot more serious than you think. I'll take care of it myself." With that, Heero pulled open the window and jumped to the ground three stories down, and dashed away into the dark, the four frightened boys staring in shock after him.

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When Huy awoke, a fluorescent light burned into his eyes. He felt a sharp pain cutting across his hands and ankles.

He blinked in a futile attempt to adjust to the light and tried to sit up straighter, but found it impossible to even shift.

"Don't even think about trying to escape."

"Wha? Who are you? WHERE are you?" Huy asked, calling out to the blinding light.

Huy yelled in pain as a hand grabbed his hair and pulled his head fiercely backward. "What do you think of this peace?"

"Huh? I don't understand"

"TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS PEACE BOY!!" the voice yelled, yanking his head further back.

"Peace?" Huy said timidly. "I like it," he almost asked, not sure what the correct answer was.

"You LIKE this _peace_, this peace of Miss Darlin's?"

"Y-yes. I'm sick of war—I-it almost killed my brother. I don't want any more fighting."

"Liar" the voice hissed. "LIAR!!" it screamed, chucking Huy's head forward and kicking the chair he was tied too over. Instead of writhing like an upside down turtle, Huy lied still hoping that the person to whom the voice belonged would leave him alone. He could hear heavy breathing from a constricted chest.

Fear gripped him, keeping him stark still.

Suddenly, a door opened and slammed shut, leaving Huy alone, tied to a chair tipped over on the floor. For the second time since he was a small child, Huy cried, sobbing and shaking alone on the cold floor, and for the first time in his short life, he was scared motionless and voiceless.

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Heero sprinted back to the bar, peering down every ally. When he finally reached the bar, it was closed. He glared at the offending sign and wrapped on the door loudlyfor ten minutes straight.

Finally, a very disgruntled man came to the door. "What the *** do ya want at this our?!?! We're closed!! Can'n you read?"

"There was a group of men in the bar last nightearly this morning. Four of them. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I was supposed to meet them here and I ran late," Heero lied without missing a beat.

"You should've called!"

"I didn't have the number and I didn't have access to a phonebook. Do you know where they went?"

"How do ya know them?"

"I have business," he fibbed.

"Business? What kaand of business would a teenager have with them?"

Heero narrowed his eyes, and moved a hand to his belt loop under his coat. "That's not your concern. Where did they go?"

The man swallowed nervously and glanced at Heero's hidden hand every other second as he answered, "The' lef' last night bout one o'clock. Out the saide door. Did'n know wheare they were headdin' ta, but I hear' um say sum'fink bout a kid who could fly a Gundam. Had a meet'in with im. pparently they was runnin some shady business downtown somewheres. Tha's all I know, I swear."

Heero straightened up and smiled maliciously. "Thank you for your assistance. If anyone asks about me in anyway, you don't know. Understand?"

"Well, tha might cost you a li"

"You keep your life, head intact upon your shoulders," Heero cut his sentence short. "Am I quite clear?"

"Aye."

Heero nodded and strode away nonchalantly. Once he rounded a corner, he began to sprint again. 

They must have seen Huy coming after me and thought that he was me. _Crap!! _I would never be so clumsy as to be seen when I know someone is following me. Surely they know that. Surely they saw us together at the table and will figure out that they have the wrong guy. Heero's mind raced as it hadn't since a certain female had been kidnapped.

What do they _want_? What could they possibly want from me? Then Heero's mind paused for a second as he thought carefully. 

What will they do to get what they want? 

Unbidden, images of Huy screamed through his mind. Heero stopped in his tracks, clutching the odd stitch in his side, and sank to his knees. His mind fogged over and Heero quickly cursed away his sickness. He felt like howling at the top of his lungs.

Heero swallowed hard and forced himself up. Taking a deep breath, he smiled to himself. Then a strange laugh, and his face was wiped clean of all emotion becoming the very being he had tried so hard to banishexcept for the single tear that made it's wet path down his cheek.

A street lights clicked off as the rising sun' lit up the colonies deserted streets. 

Heero smirked to no one in particular. He would find Huyhe would.

His head jerked to the side as he caught a glimpse of a computer through a window. 

A computer café. He smiled and strode over to it, walking in the just opening shop. He popped in a couple coins and sat down, connecting on-line, and hacked his way into Wufei's computer. 

Too organized and too predictable as always, Wufei, Heero thought uncharitably.

E-mailshere we are.

Heero clicked on several likely looking messages in the in box until he found a very disturbing one. Quickly he traced the path as best he couldwhoever had sent it had covered up their tracks well.

Eyes darting over the screen, typing one handed, Heero worked furiously for an hour, not noticing the woman behind the counter looking at him suspiciously. Then he noticed the time. It was ten o'clock. 

_CRAP!!!_ They'll have called the police by now!!

Heero logged of, noting the site he was on, and sprinted out the door. As he neared the dorms, he saw flashing red and blue lights shining over the top of several buildings. 

Gritting his teeth, preparing himself for the torrent of questioning and confusion, he rounded the corner and sprinted into the yard scanning the yard and quickly finding his friends.

"What's going on?" Heero asked quietly in Neas' ear. Neas jumped slightly, but answered calmly. 

"You didn't come back and we were all scared."

"How is everyone?"

"Kumen's blubbering, about what you'd expect." Heero nodded in agreement. "Jimbo's just been silent, which is really bad for him. I think he's the closest to Huy of all of usexcept maybe you as of late. Culver's gonna wet his pants any minute. But I seriously doubt that that pig's worried about Huy."

"Typical," Heero muttered.

Neas nodded before continuing. "The police are really interested in you though, want to know what a kid could possibly do to find Huy. What took you so long? I take it you never found him."

"I was getting somewhere when I noticed the time. I figured that you guys would have called the police. I'd better make an appearance, then I'll go looking some more."

"But what can you possibly do that the police can't do? I mean, you're a smart guy and all, but what can you _do_?" Neas asked, worry was evident in his voice.

Heero smirked. "One, I don't have a boss to answer to thus I can break any rules I want. Two, I know Huy personally. Three, I think I was the one meant to disappear."

"What do you mean, you were the one?" Neas asked, suddenly suspicious. "What do you know?"

"Not very much, except thatyour mouth is shut, understand?" Neas nodded quickly. "I left the bar last night because some guy kept watching me. I don't know who they were or what they wanted me for, but I left. I have too much experience with things like this. I ran. Huy went after me, out the back door. That was incredibly stupid on Huy's part, but he didn't know better. They probably thought that Huy was me. But that part has me worried. They probably saw us together and should have seen the difference, but evidentially they didn't. Now Huy is missing."

"What are you in, Heero? Because, if Huy gets killed because you didn't pay up or som"

Heero angrily cut his friend off. "I told you, I'm not involved in anything. It's not what I have been doing but what I have done, what I'm capable of doing. Huy's right, I am a war veteran. But I have skills that most people don't. I've been trying to hide myself, to get out of that life, but these guys have found me which means they have access to top secret Preventor files."

"Preventor files?"

"They keep close tabs on people like me."

"And what are you?"

Heero dug a toe into the dirt, and stared intently at his foot. "I've been trying to figure that out myself. I thought I knew, but nowI thought I'd escaped myself, but now, I find I'll have to revert back to what I was." Heero looked up and smiled crookedly at Neas. "If Huy's hurt when I find him, and I will because I've never failed a mission before, I'll kill those men. To bad I disposed of my weapons a month or so back."

Neas stared at Heero as if seeing him for the first time. "_KILL_," he whispered harshly and hoarsely. "Heero, you can't, even if he is hurt"

"Yes I can. They'll just be four more to add to my list, my guilty list anyway."

"Who are you?" Neas asked, eyes wide with wonder and a small amount of fright and growing nervous respect. "And don't give me that I don't know' crap, because we're not talking about that finding yourself' crud," he added harshly.

"I'm Heero Yuy."

"And who is that, besides a dead pacifist?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not, you got some secret code name? Maybe you're a spy, 007."

"That's not funny Neas. Heero Yuy isn't my birth name anyway."

"It IS a code name?" Neas' eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his head.

"Yes."

"Then how did you get it? Did you name yourself? That's a pretty famous colony name, you even have the Yuy part."

"I."

"HEY, THE ROOMMATE IS HERE CAP'IN!!" a loud voice cut in and a heavy arm clapped Heero on the back so that he pitched forward. The hand then gripped him firmly on the shoulder and dragged him in the direction of the yelling.

Heero was shoved in front of a very irritated man with overlarge eyebrows and small beetle eyes. "Okay kid, where's your friend?"

"I don't know. That's why I was out looking for him."

"Now I know how you kids all protect each other, but this is important. We could be doing something much more worth our time than try'in ta track down some fool kid who's got himself in deep. Where is he."

Heero felt a horrible twist of the stomach as he snarled, "I DON'T KNOW. IF I DID I WOULD HAVE. BROUGHT HIM SAFELY BACK HERE."

The captain jumped back a little startled at the vicious behavior. "Listen, we won't have a little brat play'in detective. Got it. Now get lost."

Heero jerked out of the other man's grip and disappeared into the crowd.

"That kid's gonna give us trouble."

"Don't I know it."

That look, what was that look in his eyes, I've seen it somewhere before, the captain thought uneasily to himself as he gazed at the confused, tangled crowd.

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A/N I ain't sayin' a word, not one single wordExcept, thanks for the reviews and comments. I am really having a tough time getting any writing done, so you guys really keep me going. THANK YOU!!!

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	23. Informed.

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Three

Informed.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Yachi was leaning over the steaming pot standing on a chair with a spoon guiltily in her mouth when she heard her mother cough loudly behind her. "Hi Mom"

"What do you think you are doing young lady?"

"Making sure that you are filling your job description," Yachi said firmly.

"Oh really, and what is my description?" Ai asked, one eyebrow characteristically cocked.

Yachi draped her arms around her mother's neck. "Gourmet chief, chauffeur, organizer" Ai burst out laughing at her daughter's response and ruffled her hair affectionately.

A door slammed from the back of the house. "That," Ai said cheerfully, "must be your father and brother. Do me a favor and go tell them that dinner's just about ready, so they need to wash up."

"Okay," Yachi chirped, blithely bouncing out of the room.

Ai shook her head and dragged the chair back to the dining room smiling. She was humming softly as she tossed the salad and felt warm arms slink around her waist, a face nuzzling into her neck. "Did you have a good day at work, Ryuzou?"

"Hmm" he mumbled into the crook of her neck.

Ai giggled softly. "You've been outside. You smell like grass."

"Is that good?"

"Sometimes" Ai smiled quietly. It was rare that her husband was in such an affectionate mood, and she was going to make the most of it.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" Toshi asked loudly clomping into the kitchen. Ai felt her husband swiftly slip away to lean on the cupboard.

"I'm making your dinner. Be a doll and put the juice on the table, then get your sister."

"Sure thing," he grinned widely. 

"So what happened at work?" Ai asked her husband.

"I turned in my report to Schavogo," Mr. Iwasato said expressionlessly.

"Oh, what did he say?" Ai wondered.

"Not much," he answered his wife.

The family happily gathered around the table for dinner, laughing, teasing, and talking as usual.

"We got a letter from Huy and Heero today," Ai announced.

"What'er they up too?" Toshi asked curiously, food falling out of his open mouth.

"Well, you can read it, it's on the rail by the foyer. But it sounds like Heero's feeling better and not trying to dodge them so much. Huy was pretty upbeat. I can't read Heero as usual. He's so evasive and closed," Ai said, ignoring her son's atrocious table manners.

The table became silent for a split second, the same thing on everyone's minds--except Yachi. She had not been born at the time of the incident,' and was too innocent to realize.

"But they sound great!" Ai said quickly and cheerfully.

Yachi immediately launched into and enthusiastic outline of her day as she poured salt all over her food.

"You know, if you have too much salt you'll die before the age of thirty," Toshi said earnestly.

"You can't scare me. Mom told me that you just say stuff like that"

The vidphone rang in the middle of the discussion, so Ai didn't hear the rest of it as she rose to answer it. "Hello," she greeted in her usual cheerful tone.

"Is this the Iwasato residence?" a sharp voice from a dark man with graying hair asked.

"Yes, it isthis is Ai," Ai said. She suddenly had a horrible feeling; an icy hand griped her stomach and she quickly went into the living room away from the family to listen. Something was terribly wrong. She had no idea where this feeling was coming fromtoday had been so good, but she just knew that something had happened. Woman's intuition maybe

As she sat down on the couch and flicked on the visual for the phone on the coffee table, the voice on the other end suggested that she should sit down before he said what he needed to say. Not a good sign. Ai felt an arm around her waist and she leaned against her husband. He could sense her distress. She could hear the kids chattering and bickering in the dining room.

"Mrs. Iwasato, this is Chief Ratlif of the Lowery colony's police department."

"What's happened? Is my son all right?" she pressed quickly, Ryuzou's embrace tightened.

"I will be perfectly honest with you, ma'am. We, um, well" he trailed off for a second as if trying to decide exactly what to say. "We don't know if he is all right because, you see, Huy disappeared three days ago. We've been looking for him twenty-four hours a day since then ma'am, and we will find him but" his voice waned, and Ai's breathing grew ragged and erratic.

"What do you know? Can I help, what?" she felt Ryuzou turn her to face him so that he could read her eyes. His eyes were asking her to tell him what was happening; he could see the man on the screen, but Ai was speaking on the phone extension, so he could not hear anything.

"I really don't know what you can do ma'am, but I.."

"I'm coming therehis roommate, what about him, how is Heero doing?" she asked sharply.

"Well, that's part of the problem. It seems that your son was with some friends, including the roomate, and they were probably doing something illegal as they haven't told us yet where they were. Just that Huy is gone. We just don't know. Heero is like a brick wall, and we can't get a thing out of him, when he is around. That kid has an amazing talent for disappearing and reappearing just as suddenly."

"I'm glad you called."

"I thought you would want to know. I'mI'm very sorry ma'amI know that my meager sympathies are very inadequate, but I am sorry."

"Thank you," Ai said in a dead voice and hung up.

She felt her husband looking at her, trying to pry the situation from her. She couldn't look at him; she felt so weak. Then she burst out crying and threw her arms around Ryuzou, sobbing convulsively. He held her close and rocked her in his arms, swaying and rubbing her back.

"It's all right Ai. It's going to be okay."

"No, it's not," she hiccuped out. "It's notHuy's missing and Heero's got something to do with itwhat's happening to our sonsI lose one, find him but cannot say anything, lose the other because of the firstwhat can we do?"

"I think you had better tell me everything that the caller said"

"Mom, Dadwhat's going on," Toshi asked quietly, white-faced, looking on his parents tightly embracing each otherhis mother's tear stained face

Ai jumped up and flew to her son, holding Toshi close. "My baby," she whispered, "my baby"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero grunted as he slung his heavy backpack over his shoulder and walked quickly down the hall, head held erect, defying the staring, prying eyes. Neas was walking heavily behind him. A firm, steady clomp, clomping of his boots on the cold tile floor walked on. 

Since Huy was gone, the uniting force in the group had left. Culver the coward had left the support of friends and was hiding in another group, avoiding the rest. Kumen and Jimbo were both a bit blundering, frightened, and simpering, following quietly. Neas was made of much stronger stuff–Heero suspected that the boy had been through several huge ordeals in his own life–he was so different from everyone else. But he never pressed for details, he understood. Heero was the leader. It was natural for him, in his blood he supposed, and he rose to take the position as he had several times before during the wars. Now Kumen and Jimbo were safe in their dorms as Heero and Neas headed out to find Huy.

As Heero and Neas left the building, several fuzzes jumped up from the benches to assail the boys, pestering them with questions. But they wouldn't talk, and neither would the other boys, but for different reasons. Kumen and Jimbo were in shock and could not think to say anything, and Culver was terrified of getting arrested and suspended, or worse in his opinion, expelled. Heero snorted in disgust at the thought of the blond boy.

Neas followed Heero down the street, where they sprinted around several buildings, losing the police and slipping off of the school campus. They found a local café and sat down at neighboring computers, and simultaneously their fingers dashed up and down the keyboards. They only had two hours to research before they had to back at school for dinner and mandatory study, then curfew. They picked up where they had left off the day before, scanning the screens.

"Heero," Neas whispered. "Those guys who flew inI e-mailed Jimbo's brother about them, but he won't give us anything."

Heero nodded. "About what I'd expected. Keep looking. I'm going to e-mail some sources of my own." Heero glared at the screenhe hadn't wanted to contact any of the Gundam pilots, but he was going to have too. He just couldn't find anything and time was short. It had been four days since Huy disappeared.

He clicked the send' button to Wufei's e-mail, then Duo, and Quatre. Trowa didn't have an address, but Quatre would surely ask him. 

The clock clicked on until finally the boys were forced to abandon the searchanother fruitless day. Another day lostbut Heero would come back later that night, even if he had to break into the school's library. But he would leave Neas out of it–he didn't want any trouble for his friend.

They met Kumen and Jimbo at lunch, and Neas tried forced conversation until Kumen piped up. "Can't we tell, I mean, we should, maybe it would help"

Heero stopped him before he could complete his thought. "No. There is nothing those cowards can do. They'd never believe the truth and I'm not going to waste precious time trying to convince them. They will believe what they want to. Besides, there is nothing they can do that I can't do better. I'm not being cocky, it's just the truth. You won't say anything, okay," Heero finished forcefully. Then he softened as he looked at Kumen and Jimbo's faces. It wasn't their faults that they couldn't handle this. "It will be okay. I'll find him, I promise."

Heero decided to go straight to the bathroom and get ready for bed before anyone else could get there. He didn't feel like dealing with the other kids.

He quickly showered, brushed his teeth, and strode down the hall, unlocking the door. He sighed and lowered his head, relieved that the world was locked out side his door. But then he looked up and saw her

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'll meet you in a couple hours," Ryuzou said quietly, before squeezing his wife's hand and driving away.

Ai watched the taillights disappear down the street before sighing, trying to gather what little strength was left in her body. Her son was goneshe hadn't eaten since she found out, she couldn't. It was so hard 

She rang the bell of the dorm building until a plump woman answered the door. "What do you want?" she asked irritably.

"I was wondering if I could visit my son's room–Huy Iwasato," she said softly.

The woman's look immediately softened as she realized the situation. "Of course, I'll let you in." The woman opened the door for Ai and waddled to her office, unlocking a tall metal cabinet, and took a key off of a hook. 

The women led Ai up several sets of stairs and down a couple hallways till she reached C-17 and let Ai in. "You can let yourself out whenever you want," she said kindly.

Ai smiled and thanked the woman. She turned and looked at the neat little room. The bottom bunk was made neat and straight, one desk clean and orderly, books lined against the back, a lamp hanging over with a can of pens and pencils, one closet straight–all the clothes clean and hung, shoes in a line. The other bunk's lumpy blankets were piled at the end of the bed. The other desk was littered with papers, books, pencils, basketball schedules, an old sweaty uniform, a family picture, the other closet had a heap of shoes and shirts and jeans crumpled at the bottom–only a select few items were actually hung. 

Ai reached up to the top bunk and shifted the blankets until she found the teddy bear she knew was there, hidden as always. She held the small animal in front of her and stared at its blank glass eyes. Quietly she sat down on the bottom, made bunk bed and held the animal to her, tears leaking out.

The door clicked and her head shot up as she watched Huy walk init was Heero

He didn't seem to notice her. His face was tight and troubled, open and vulnerable. He swung his bag to the floor and glanced up, startled, to see her slumped on his bed. His face was immediately wiped clean of all emotion. "Ai," he greeted.

"Hello Heero. How are you doing?"

"Fine." Heero hesitated and then asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find out about Huy. The police chief called me yesterday, so Ryuzou and I booked a couple flights. Here we are." She smiled kindly at him and looked hard at the bear in her hands. "Huy's grandmother gave him this when he was born. He slept with it every night and if it was ever missing, he'd wail until it was found. Once he couldn't find it and I rocked him until he hadn't the strength to cry any more. Huywould get soattached to things, and people." Her long eyelashes covered her tear filled eyes, soaked with the salty liquid.

"Heero, I didn't come here just to weep and wail and gnash my teeth as I looked at all of Huy's belongings. If you don't want to tell me anything, I understand, but at least let me help you. I know you are good friends with Huy and you must miss him. Please, let me help you at least a little."

Heero's face remained unreadable as he sat down in the desk chair. "I can find Huy, Ai. I promise. Iit was my fault that he disappeared, and I will find him. I promise."

"Heeroyou are seventeen, honey. It would be so much better if you just told the police all that you know and let them handle it. He could be found quicker and"

"They wouldn't believe!" Heero interrupted her fiercely. Ai eyes widened at his sudden out burst, the flaming eyes blazing at her. 

"Heero"

"It wouldn't do any good. I can't tell them, they can't help. I will find him on my own. I promise."

Ai sighed softly. "I just wish that you would let me help."

"How?" Heero asked very clearly, challenging her to say something.

"Oh Heero," she whimpered and clung to the bear, eyes wide and pleading with him. Then her resolve seemed to harden and she got up, putting the bear back onto Huy's bed. "Ryuzou and I are staying at a hotel downtown. Here's the address and phone number if you need us. We are staying here til Huy is found."

Heero nodded and remained sitting stiffly as she put a yellow piece of paper on the corner of his desk. Ai walked toward him but then averted her path to the door and was gone.

Heero climbed onto his bed and clutched his pillow, burying his face. The foot of the bed was warm where Ai had been siting. Heero refused to cry. He had to sleep so that he could go out and look for Huy.

He set his alarm for two o'clock, turned the volume down low, and climbed into bed, turning out the light.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Huy groaned loudly as the foot collided with his ribs. He was going to breakhe knew it, any minute.

Wham!! Smack!!

Then the abuse paused and a man yelled in frustration at him.

"What do you want from me?" Huy groaned softly. "What do you want?"

"You will help us."

"How, I don't understand."

"How? You ask how?" the red head grinned maliciously. He paused and paced up and down the room, then began to explain with thinly disguised excitement. "We've built a mobile suit from some older plans, but good plans nonetheless, but none of us have been able to pilot it. With your skills, you could master it in a week! Then, with the rest of our group, we could storm the Earth. We've already got a man stationed to take care of Miss Darlin the moment we give the signal. Chaos, it will be utter chaos. A new leader will have to arise and all will be taken care of. We will be back where we were." He paused and smiled again. "What do you say?"

"Why? What's all this for?"

The red-head threw back his head and laughed. "What do you mean, what's all this for?' We can't allow people to become complacent, now can we? And what else are you going to do with your life? You aren't fit for anything else."

"You are looking for Heero Yuy aren't you? I'm not Heero," Huy whispered.

"Oh, getting technical are we? Yes, we realize that that isn't your real name boy, but you are still the same killer you were last year when you piloted Wing Zero and blew up the Barton's barracks. Join usyou have no purpose out of battle."

Huy breathed in and out and couldn't believe it when he heard himself say, out of instinct, "Let me think about it."

"Good. We will be eager for your answer." And then he left, slamming the door behind him.

Huy drew his hands to his chest and curled into the fetal position. They had pulled him off of the chair and retied his hands in front of him, it was much more comfortable, but his backside was expose to their abuse.

Wing Zerothat was a gundamthe main gundamHuy's mind began to spin. Heero was a gundam pilota gundam pilot he never believed existed. Tears leaked out.

No wonderhe had never knowngundam pilot zero onewho self-detonated in Siberawho fought the Lightening Count in the final stages of the warwho stormed the barracksfought without remorsekilled without care. Huy forgot his wounds and cried for his friend–Heero had died a most painful spiritual death.

"I think that I'm finally pounding some sense into that brat," the redhead said triumphantly to the other two men gathered at the table in the small kitchen. The blond was staring off at the stove and the black-headed man was absorbed in a newspaper.

"Don't be too sure, Traz. I don't think that we got it right," the blond man with the scar cautioned. 

"What do you mean, not right'?" The other man tossed a newspaper across the table to the redhead. "What's this, Yajoroo?"

"Read," the other man instructed.

Traz sat down in an empty chair and unfolded the paper, exposing the front page. "Crap"

"That's about what boss said."

"Quit calling me boss.'" The blond muttered. "I'm going to call for backup."

"Why don't we just go and get him?" Traz asked.

The blond massaged the bridge of his nose, the word moron' on the edge of his tongue. "He's a gundam pilot. He'll be on his guard now. The only thing we can hope for is that he will come for Huy. He's a friend of the kid according to the paper. I also sent Jensin to scope out the situation–he should be back in a couple hours."

He stopped to take a sip of his hot coffee. "So what" Traz started.

"If my guess is correct, Heero Yuy will come after Huy and we need to be ready. If Yuy does come, the four of us won't be a match for him."

"He's a kid"

"Who evaded the Romafeller Foundation, OZ, White Fangeven when he was captured, he outsmarted his enemies and escaped. We can't afford to underestimate him."

"But"

"I've already decided, Traz. Shut up," he told the red-head.

"What do we do with the kid now?" Yajoroo asked diverting the heated discussion.

"I suppose we see if he knows anything about the Gundam Pilots. He just might be of some use yet"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero held the hard copy of the e-mail in his hands. Wufei had replied to his call for help quickly. He was a Preventor with inside information, information that Heero needed desperately. Huy would be killed, if he wasn't already dead.

He sunk down into the back of the bench, lost, doubtful of his skills as he had never been before. He opened his backpack and held a familiar heavy metal weapon in his hand loosely, a cartridge in the other hand. He hadn't used a gun since last Christmas. He had been so relieved to give it up, to lose it forever. He didn't have to kill anymorenot ever againbut now, he would have to take up arms again. Could he?

Lightening quick senses prickled and told him someone was near on the cold morning–four o'clock to be precise. Heero hid the gun in his backpack and had zipped it up quickly when a man appeared in front of him. He was about to run when a hand stopped him, and he looked up to meet Mr. Iwasato's hard gaze. "Don't you have a curfew?"

"Yes. Don't you need to get some sleep. You traveled all day yesterday," Heero retorted.

"I couldn't sleep so I left a note for Ai and went on a walk."

Heero noddedhe could understand that. "I hope you weren't planning on doing what I thought you were with that gun you've got."

Heero kept his head down to hide his shock. "What did you think I was planning?"

"You've had a hard life, anyone can see that, Heero. Don't give up yet."

"I'm not a coward. I'd never do that," Heero argued back as he realized what Mr. Iwasato was implying.

"You misunderstand. I could never believe you a coward, but you are alone and undeniably tired and sickened by this world."

Heero shook his head. "I don't get it. Why are you two so nice to me? I'm the reason that Huy is missing. In a way I expected Ai to be forgiving, but not you. Why?"

"You remind me of another very lost seventeen-year-old, years and years ago."

Then Mr. Iwasato turned to leave. "We were in a bar," Heero said quickly. He didn't mean to say anything, and he certainly didn't intend on telling Huy's father what really happenedhe would never let Heero near his family if he knew, but it just came out.

Mr. Iwasato turned and sat down beside Heero and waited for the rest of the story, and Heero realized that Huy's father was incredibly sly and perceptive. But nevertheless, Heero looked directly ahead and spoke in a regular robotic voice, as if reading a report. "It started when Culver started bragging about how much liquor he could hold and Neas challenged him til finally Neas suggested that we all go to a bar and see how some alcohol would settle in Culver's stomach. So Huy and I just went along with them for kicks. It was a dusty old place lost in downtown. We all ordered and were talking when I noticed a group of guys watching me. I'm too familiar with situations like that, so I got up to leave as quickly and unnoticeably as possible." 

Here Heero expected his listener to interrupt with questions, but Mr. Iwasato didn't, so he continued. "I walked toward the back door, but then slipped into the bathroom and out the window on the side of the building. Then I went home. The guys tell me that Huy went after me–he thought something was wrong. They thought I was offended because they were teasing Huy and I for ordering Orange juice at a bar when we went through all that trouble to sneak out. But Huy disappeared. The guys came knocking on my door at six that morning and I went out looking for Huy. Huy didn't disappear' on his own. He was abductedby four men who thought he was me. I contacted a guy I know at the Preventors. I know who took Huy and I'm pretty sure why. They are a little-league group of terroristsat least they were until recently. They've been following in the Barton's shoes by hoarding mobile suits. They managed to get a hold of some blueprints for a gundam prototype. They are trying to get a gundam pilot to join their cause, so they sent messages to all of them. But apparently they wanted to see me in person. I think they wanted me the most out of all because I was the one to master the zero system, and I was the one who once was an assassin. That's why I can't tell the police anything," Heero finished and was quiet.

Mr. Iwasato sat quietly digesting all the Heero had said, his mind raced. He wasn't sure what to say, but he could feel Heero needed acceptance for who and what he was. Then he remembered that Heero was a seven-teen year old kid.

"Heero, it's okay to cry," Ryuzou said softly.

Before, Heero hadn't any inclination to, but after Ryuzou said that it was like a switch had been flipped and all of a sudden a huge lump dropped down into his stomach and a loud sob escaped his lips. And he was crying into Ryuzou's large shoulder, clinging. "It's okay Heero. You are not what you were and you will not revert to what you were if you have to fight any one to protect those you care about. You are you and no one else" Ryuzou comforted, rubbing the boy's back soothingly. "You don't have to be strong on your own anymore. Let us help you. We are now your family too"

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A/N ""

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	24. The "Incident."

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Four

The "Incident."

Disclaimer: It ain't mine

"Ai, they're coming. We've got to get out of here. Pack only what we can carry and get the kids dressed warmly. I'll be home in a couple minutes," Ryuzou told his wife hurriedly on the phone. "I'm driving home now."

"I love you," Ai said quickly and hung up. She turned and ran down the hall to the living room. Toshi, eight years old and very alert with a messy mop of hair in a muddy T-shirt, looked up at his mother and immediately read the panicked look on her face. "What's going on, Mommy?"

"Love, I want you to get your coat and boots on and then get your backpack–you need to pack a change of clothes, underwear, socks, and you can bring two toys, okay," Ai said smiling.

But Toshi saw through her. "Then I'll help you get Gina, Huy, and Tai ready to leave." Ai looked appreciatively at her son and smothered the quickly advancing panic attack.

While Toshi readied himself, Ai quickly told the six-year-old Gina to do the same, but Gina wasn't as understanding. "But Mommy, I want to finish watching"

"We don't have time for this," Ai said harshly, turning off the TV and then unplugging it so she wouldn't have to fight with her daughter.

Gina looked up in shock at her mother who was always so happy and played with her. "You're being mean, Mommy."

Normally a comment like that would have hurt Ai, but today she just wasn't in the mood to fight with the pig-tailed girl in a pink paisley jumper. "Now," she said, pointing to Gina's bedroom. The little girl scampered off, terrified. But Ai would comfort her later when she had the time. Besides, she had to get the boys ready–not an easy task.

When she entered the twins' room, the first thing she saw was a mass of toys piled in the middle of the floor. "Casle!! We buil casle!!" a semi-toothless three-year-old Huy yelled.

"Huy, where is your brother?" Ai asked nervously. Huy was bigger and stronger than his twin was, and they had the tendency to get into very large messes together, which usually ended with Tai crying.

"Hewe!!" Tai yelled as he jumped out of the closet. His overalls were backwards and his shoes were on the wrong feet as he had insisted on dressing himself that morning.

Ai sighed in relief. At least she wouldn't have to run around the house looking for the two munchkins. "Yes, I see! But we need to get you two dressed, okay!"

"I am dwessed!" Tai whined.

"Yes, you are baby. But let me turn you"

"NO!!" Tai stomped a foot.

"Okay, okayHuy why donHUY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!" Ai screamed.

Huy looked up innocently from the closet with a pile of clothes around him. "Builing a fowt," he said calmly.

"Huy" Ai growled as she picked the child up and forced shoes on him, then coats on both boys. 

A door slammed and Ryuzou's deep voice filled the house. Ai breathed again. "Ryuzou, please pack some food!!" she called down to him. Then she grabbed the twins and called to Toshi and Gina who were arguing about what two toys to bring. 

"Wait!!" Tai and Huy both wailed. "Bearw, bearw, bearw!!" they kept chanting between sobs. 

"Oh, I forgot" Ai muttered as she stumbled back up the stairs carrying the two forty-pound boys. 

Suddenly a thirty-year old, thin, fit, and very, very handsome Ryuzou ran down the stairs with the two teddy bears in his arms. He hastily handed the boys their bears and ran to open the door for Ai and the kids. He hustled them into the car and helped wrestle the twins into their car seats, then he jumped into the driver's seat.

Ai couldn't help but feel safe with her husband there, and she was glad she didn't have to do this alone. There was something so comforting with him there: calm, cool, and collected. Ai clutched the pack on her lap and continued to glance back at the children, counting and recounting them. Toshi sat quietly watching with bright alert childish eyes. Gina tried to hold back her tears, and the twins giggled happily as they hugged their bears.

They ran five stop lights and twice as many stop-signs and drove at least thirty miles over the speed limit at all times as Ryuzou rushed to the shuttleport. The place was jam packedword had gotten out quickly. The colony's officials had finally lost it and everyone was fleeing as quickly as possible. After Heero Yuy's assassination eight years before, the colonies became an inextricable mess, mass confusion and chaos. No one knew who to trust or where to go. Tickets to Earth were sky-high and hard to come by. Now it was over for this colony and Ai had her husband to help her and their children get out safely. Ai looked over at his taut face and untamable mop of hair, the heavy eyebrows and dark eyes. Short, dark, and handsometwo out of three wasn't bad. But then again, since when were there ever TALL Japanese menshe giggled quietly and her husband raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't going crazy on me are you, Ai?" he asked, reaching over to squeeze her knee.

"No, noI was just" she grinned.

"Okay" he said a little skeptically and parked the car.

They jumped out and grabbed all the kids, Ai taking Gina and Toshi's hands while Ryuzou carried the heavy toddlers. They sprinted into the port and Ryuzou deposited his family in a safe waiting room, threatening the kids with death if they decided to go sightseeing. Then he ran off to make arrangements before it got too difficult to get out.

"I'm hungry!"

"I'm hunwy!"

"I'm tired!"

"I'm twred!"

"I have to pee-ee!!"

"I have to pwee-ee!!"

"Mommy!! They's copying me!!"

"They's cwoping meee!!" the twins called in unison.

"Gina, Huy, and Tai, please sit down and just be quiet" Ai gritted out. The stress was getting to her. "Here," she said more softly as she pulled her little girl onto her lap. "I'm sorry I've been so short with you sweetheart, but I'm just really tired and I need you to be good. Okay?" Gina buried her face in her mother's stomach and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Mommy."

"It's okay baby, it's okayand that goes for you too!" she called to Toshi and the twins who were looking very guilty for some odd reason, making Ai very nervous. She never trusted the three on their own.

Ai continued to struggle with the kids for another three hours, but she trusted her husband and waited, determined that he would be back. 

He was.

Ryuzou was pushing his way through the crowds, trying to get to his family, when Ai was struck by how much the twins looked like their father. Toshi and Gina both somewhat bared a resemblance to Ryuzou, but with the twins, it was just uncanny. He was panting a little when he finally made it over to his family. "I got some tickets," he said. But he wasn't smiling so Ai was worried. 

"What's the catch?" she asked.

He hesitated and then sunk down into a chair, the twins quickly claiming his lap. "They're for tomorrow morning."

"Wha!! We can't wait here with the kids all night! Ryuwe have to find a place to get them food, and a place to sleep, and"

Her husband interrupted her suddenly. "I know, but this was the best I could do. At least we will be getting out at all. Once that **** fascist bigoted dictator finds out that ninety-nine percent of the colony are fleeing for their lives because of his leadership', he'll be storming us here, and we'll be stuck. We can take turns taking the kids to the public restrooms and I'll go get us all something to eat. We can sleep on the floor, and we've got two chairs more than anyone else here," he said quietly in Ai's ear. 

"But, what about" Ai began.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine. The government doesn't know we are here yet, and we've paid for our tickets. It's all legal. They can't take them away from us." Then he kissed her on the cheek comfortingly.

Ai nodded, not in the least calmed or appeased. But then again, if Ryuzou said so, then all would be okay. It always was.

But that was the worst night of Ai's life. The kids had to go to the bathroom at least five times every hour, and the line was all the way to Timbuktu and back again. She grumbled as Gina went for the up-teenth time that night. When she got back, Ryuzou had his legs stretched over her seat with Toshi lying on his legs and one twin under each arm, securely in headlocks. Ai smiled. "Your turn," she whispered. 

"Why couldn't we have had more girls? I have to keep track of three in there and you only have one!" he whined good-naturedly. 

Ai grinned. "It's your fault!"

"No it's noI guess technically it iscome on squirt, let's get you over there before you wet your pants" he muttered to Toshi as he slung the groggy, half-asleep twins over his shoulders. As soon as the twins woke up and realized that everyone had gone to the bathroom already, they would insist on going too, so Ryuzou was taking them to save a trip.

Ai settled into a chair and held her little girl close. A half-hour later, Ryuzou appeared again and filled the other chair. Ai leaned over and fell asleep on his shoulder, and he wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, hand hanging over to pat Gina on the head.

She awoke to Ryuzou's gentle prodding about six in the morning. "Come on, love. We've got to start moving. They are here"

Ai sat up with a start and glanced over, trying to peer through the masses of people. "Where?" she asked in a strained whisper.

"Shh. Don't look around, you'll be too obvious. Let's just get the kids and start to move to our gate."

Ai nodded and they gathered up their family. The officials, they had found them. But she would get her family out--safely. Ryuzou was a botanist, but he was head of the agriculture department on this colony. That meant that he heard everything and was in on every meeting. After discovering several corrupt officials and practices and refusing bribes of superfluous physical pleasures by insisting that all he needed or wanted was Ai and the kids, they started watching him, afraid that he'd tell what he knew. Ai had grown used to cars following her, strange people watching the house, and her husband calling from the car phone to assure her he was still alive and well.

They had been attempting to get out since the twins were born, but the committee board head continued to make it impossible for them to leave. Projects that couldn't wait, insisting that he was indispensablethe only assuring thing was that if Ryuzou disappeared, then Ai had information that she could leak, thus the whole family would have to be disposed of if the government wished to hush them, but that would be too suspicious. Ryuzou and Ai did have parents, sisters and brothers, friends. Someone would look into their deaths if they all disappeared.

But when the one powerful, good man on the committee was killed in a car "accident", everything fell apart, and the public knew it. That was when they were most afraid that Ryuzou would rat on them. Then they reached the breaking point and now everyone was fleeing, and Ryuzou was hoping that he and his family could mix into the crowd and escape unscathed. They would go to Ai's parents and camp there until Ryuzou found another job, then they'd move again. After they told everything that is. They could not keep living like they had been--in fear. Ryuzou would tell and gain government protection on a more secure colony with a good, and hopefully honest, leader.

Now they were hiding the children behind their backs as they hurried to their port in hopes of not being noticed.

Then the alarms rang.

Everyone went into a mad panic. Ryuzou took a piece of rope out of his pocket and looped it through his and Ai's belt loops, linking them securely. Then he picked up Gina, slung Toshi over his shoulder, while Ai gathered the twins into her arms. They forced their way through the crowd, Ryuzou plowing the way. Ai thanked the gods that Ryuzou had the presence of mind to think of bringing rope.

At one point, Ryuzou stopped and turned, jerking Ai after him. They jumped onto an escalator and onto the subway, transporting them to the correct hall. The alarms continued to scream and then policemen in black suits rushed into the port. If possible, the room became even more chaotic. Gina began to cry and the twins gripped painfully onto their mother.

Then Tai dropped his bear. 

He screamed and wormed his way out of his mother's vice-like grip, crashing to the floor and disappearing into the crowd. "TAAAAIIIII!!!!!!" Ai screamed, and she pulled so hard on the rope that she nearly knocked her husband down. "TAI!!" she yelled again and waded through the people, searching frantically for her child. 

After five minutes of panicked, desperate searching, Ryuzou grabbed his wife and the screaming Huy and pulled them to the gait, presenting the tickets. His face was stone and he remained deathly silent.

He hurried them onto the plane and buckled the kids in. Ai screamed and tried to run out of the plane again when Ryuzou grabbed her and forced her into her seat. She continued to cry. "Let me go!! I have to find Tai!! I have to get our son!!!!"

Then Ryuzou shook her violently. She was so shocked at his violence that she ceased screaming for a minute. "Ai," he said harshly. "GET A GRIP. You have to stay here with the kids. I'm going back to look for him, but I have to get the rest of you out of here safely. Do you understand? STAY," he said forcefully. His eyes were stone and face ridged, chiseled harshly by shadows in the bad light of the shuttle.

Tears flooded down Ai's cheeks. "But Tai"

"I will get the rest of you out safely. And I'll get Tai." Then he disappeared.

Ai didn't know where he went or what he did. She was numb with grief. Who was she fooling? How could she ever find her child in that messTai was lostbut Ryuzou would find himRyuzou could do anythinghe was wonderfulhe was

"Mommy, where is Tai?" Huy asked quietly. His little face was white and frightened. 

"Daddy's getting him, baby. Daddy's getting him." But then she began to doubt againand what ifwhat if Ryuzou didn't get back in timewhat if he kept looking for Tai and missed the shuttlehow could she live without himhow could she take care of the kids alonewhat could she do

She was about to sob when the stewardess instructed everyone to buckle up. They were taking off.

Ai's heart felt like it was falling out of the sky. Her husband and sonRyuzou would never leave until he found Taihe would be left

Then two men came onto the plane dragging Ryuzou between them. He was fighting madly, yelling and cursing them. "John, let me go!" he yelled. "I have to find my son!!"

It was then that Ai recognized the men as co-workers and friends of her husband. A big blue-eyed Caucasian named John punched Ryuzou in the nose and threw him into his seat. "You have three kids and a wife. They need you. You'll find your fourth child later," he yelled two inches from Ryuzou's face.

Ryuzou glared back angrily. "I have to find my child" he said coldly. "I have to" 

Ai felt a little had tug on her shirt. She looked down to, once again, meet Huy's innocent gaze. "Mommy, why did wat man hwit Daddy? Where is Tai?"

But she couldn't answer. She turned and looked out the window to see the quickly disappearing colonyher sonthe little mop-topped headthe bright blue eyesthe little backwards overallsthe reversed shoeshis little giggle when his father played with himhis cryhis smilehis stubborn independent way of doing everythingthe time he tried to brush his own teeth and smeared it up his nosethe mosaic' he made with Cheerios and Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies"they're Rice Crippies, Mommy!""Mommy! I need privacee! I'm using the bafwoom!""Mommy, I had a bad dweam""Mommy, my weg huwts""Mommy, Mommy"

Then she broke down and began to screamand screamand scream

"Ai!!" she felt herself being shaken away from the shuttle forcefullya familiar voice close by.

"TAI!! WHERE IS MY BABY!! I HAVE TO FIND HIM!! MY BABY!!!!!!!"

"Ai, snap out of it!! It's a dream, it was all a dream, love, it's okay." She felt strong arms embracing her, holding her close, trying to force her flailing arms to her sides. She opened her eyes to find herself on a hard hotel room bedthe usual chest-of-draws across the roomthe TVthe night standthe noisy air condition clicking offand her husband

"Ryuzou"

"It's all right. I'm herebreath in, breath out, breath in, breath out"

Ai snuggled into his arms and sobbed softly. "Huy's missing now" she whispered.

"Heero will find him."

"Heero? Who's Heero?" she said harshly. "There is no Heeroonly some person who renamed our baby that. There is no Heeroonly Tai"

"Tai is Heero Yuy now, and, like it or not, he knows nothing else, love. And he will find Huy."

"How can you know that? He's a boy, a seventeen year old boyscared and alone"

"Have faith in him, Ai. He's been through things that you and I cannot even comprehend. Hehe told me what happened. And he told me who he isor who he thinks he is"

"What, tell mewhat happened Ryuzou? Who found our baby? What did they do to him? And what about Huy?" Ai pressed.

"Who found Heero, I have no idea, but with regard to Huyin short they went to a bar, and Heero left because some guys were making him nervous. Huy followed him and disappeared. Heero says that those guys were after him and got Huy by mistake."

"But what would they want with Tai?" Ai asked, refusing to call Heero by anything but his birth name.

"Who wouldn't want Gundam Pilot Zero Onethe assassinthe perfect soldier."

Ai gasped and pushed herself from her husband. "He's a teenager"

"That doesn't change anything. Remember those profiles of the pilots that the papers published six months ago. They've been researched since the warall around seventeen years old, all war-toughened fighters.all found except the expert hacker and perfect soldier Heero Yuy. He's been running from his past for a year, and now someone is trying to bring him back into the loop. He cried tonight, Ai. It's probably the first time he's ever cried since he was a child."

"Ohmy baby"

"Ai, Heero may not know who he is, but he knows that he loves us, all of us, but most especially Huy. They are twins, they have a connection that makes them understand each other so clearly–just a step away from ESP. Heero will find Huy, and Huy will be alive. The perfect soldier has never failed before"

"He was the one who self-detonated in Siberia!!"

"Yes."

"He fought Zechs Marquis in space!"

"Yes."

"He destroyed the Barton foundation."

"Yes."

"He disappeared and found us"

"He did."

Ai sobbed into her husband's arms again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The blond man stood with his back to the brick wall, cigarette hanging from the edge of his lip, the smoke curling around his head. Rain pattered around his little shelter under the eaves of the old brick building, and the man pulled the collar of his trench-coat up to help ward away the wet and cold.

"Jothan," a voice said softly from the blond man's side.

  
"Brad," Jothan greeted back. "Took you long enough."

"Hey, give me some slack. I had some paperwork to do. I couldn't get out of the office till bout ten minutes ago," Brad defended himself.

"Yah, sure. How's that long-legged secretary of yours?"

Brad grinned foolishly and Jothan shook his head as he bent to flick ashes off of the cigarette. "So, how is everything? All in order?" Brad asked as if the previous question had never been asked.

Jothan glared harshly. "Don't you read the papers?"

"Well," Brad scratched his head. "I have to admit that I don't exactly make it a top priority."

"Maybe you should make it a top priority.' We got the wrong kid."

"_What_?"

"You heard me."

"But that's impossible. How could youyou are the bestyou never goof up like that!"

"Well, guess what? We did. No one bothered to tell us that he had a twin, and somehow, which I have no idea how, we didn't notice it."

"Heero Yuy doesn't have any family, much less a twin brother. I KNOW that," Brad said emphatically.

Jothan threw the cigarette to the wet ground and rubbed it out with a booted toe. "Some how, God only knows, Heero Yuy looks identical to a boy about his age by the name of Huy Iwasato." Jothan stopped as he heard Brad's intake of breath. "What is it?"

"This Iwasato, who is his father?"

"Ryuzou, a botanist on"

Brad interrupted Jothan's comments with a loud oath. "I take it that this isn't good," Jothan observed dryly.

"Oh, brilliant deduction Watson. This isn't not good, this the worst thing that could possibly happen" Brad continued to mutter a stream of the most descriptive expletives Jothan had ever heard.

"Chill for about two seconds and tell me what's up."

"Do those morons for partners know what's really going on?"

"Well, one is a little hot headed, but I think the other two are on to us–they aren't dumb enough to believe that we are starting a war for the fun of it. And the money has to be coming from somewhere."

"Well, make sure they don't find out. Crap"

"What is it, Brad? Quit all this nonsense."

"You remember that whole little uprising on the old colony my dad ran?" Brad asked.

"Yahbut that was fifteen years ago."

"Fourteen."

"What?" Jothan asked, confused.

"Fourteen years ago, not fifteen."

"Whatever, just get on with it," Jothan said impatiently.

Brad sighed and rested his against the wall. "Well, there was one guy of the colony, Ryuzou Iwasato. He was a botanist and head of Agriculture, but he was also smart as get all and figured my dad out within the first couple weeks that he got the job. Dad tried to win him over, the guy wouldn't budge. I mean, it was ridiculous! This guy was offered a salary three times what he was making, college money for the kids, even admittance to my dad's little hot house. Nothing worked. He was a stikin' family man, in love with his wife, played with the kids, the whole kit n caboodle. So dad went after them. The guy's wife was a cool cookie. A guy walks up to her with a gun, and cool as you please, she'd smile and turn the other way–course she was from New York, but that's sides the point. What the point is, is that Iwasato knows EVERYTHING from that mess, and the moment his son, who undoubtedly is at least somewhat like his old man, disappears, he will figure us out, only spreading the word this time. And if Iwasato knows who got his kid, we're toast and the plan is out the window."

"Guess it's a good thing that I called for back up," Jothan commented sardonically.

"Why?"

"I'm using the Iwasato kid as bait for getting Yuy. What still disturbs me is why the two look so much alike."

"I'll look into that," Brad said confidently. "You better get back before your guys get curiousmercenaries can't be trusted."

Jothan snorted. "You just figure that out? Don't forget to keep your old man out of the way. I don't want him to screw this up."

"I know, I know. I'll keep him busy and he'll be positioned perfectly to conveniently take up the authoritative role when dear Miss Darlin becomes too stressed to deal with a war, which she was so sure could never happen now that arms have been cast aside."

"Good. Don't screw up your part. I've spent enough time in the slammer."

"Our own little Alcatraz junkie"

"Hey, you shut up."

"Touchy aren't we?"

"Look who's talking. Don't forget the cash."

"Yah, yah, I got it right here" Brad dug around in his pockets for a fat yellow envelope. "It's right here."

"What are you going to do about Iwasato?" Jothan asked as he pocketed the envelope.

"Oh, I'll figure something out. I have to find him first."

"He's here."

"What?"

"He flew in today with is wife. They're staying downtown in Toby's."

"I'm impressed," Brad said with raised eyebrows.

"I'm the best," Jothan said simply. "I'm going now. Keep me updated."

"Yah, whatever."

Then the two parted and turned opposite ways.

Jothan walked slowly back to the warehouse, mind running frantically. George Morris was a power hungry freak with a fat wallet, Jothan just did as he was told and accepted to pay check. It was his job, no worries. What did it matter to him if Morris managed to take over. The man would lead the Earth and Colonies into a chaotic mess, but what did he care? War's created enemies, which created jobs for him and his men. The cash flow would be endless as everyone trusted no one. So what if millions died?

He kicked at a rock angrily as he cursed his active conscience. Morris was ambitious, but he was also an incredible strategist, albeit unstable. Surely the Earth would be fine. He just wanted the Presidency, and to do that, he could show the current President unfit. The current President fully supported Miss Darlin, and if Darlin was shown to be incorrect, the President, similarly, would also be shown to be incorrect. The people would rebel and Morris would take over, settle the wars capably, and make peace with the rambunctious Gundam Pilots. The people would be happy and impressed with their new leader. Morris would have problems then–he didn't know how to deal with peace, but he would have many advisors. All would be well. Jothan's job was just to get the Gundam Pilots going, give them new Gundams. It was a well-known fact that several of the pilots had been attached to their steeds.' That was all.

Grinning to himself in the dark, rainy city, Jothan walked uneasily back to the warehouse. It would be okay.

Jothan Kirkpatric watched as twenty men in their thirty's and twenty's come one at a time in half-hour intervals to the old warehouse. If the entire troop came in at once, it would have attracted too much attention. Jothan delegated the responsibility of stationing them to Yajoroo. Traz was an excellent soldier, but tended to launch onto power-trips, and Jensin was apt to miss an area and confuse instructions. Yajoroo was level-headed and quick.

Traz was still arguing his decisions, but Jothan was still in chargeand a better shot.

The warehouse was nearly condemned until many months ago, the four of them had restored it skillfully on the inside, carefully leaving the outside appearance the way it was. They had built an especially secure room purposely for holding Heero Yuybut it was hiding a weak nobody named Huy Iwasato. But fortunately, Jothan was resourceful and could make the best of any situation.

"The West and North halls are covered. We have issued the weapons and boarded up that wall you mentioned was weak earlier."

"Thank you, Yajoroo. Make sure that the surveillance cameras are installed."

"Sir, yes sir. What are you going to do now?"

"Pay a visit to our little imposter"

Huy heard the door creak open and he cringed. A light flicked on, blinding him as usual and the heavy boots clomped on the floor. Hesitantly, Huy looked up to face the redhead again. But this man was the longhaired blond, and he remembered where he had seen him beforein the hospital when he and the school nurse had gone to pick Heero up. 

"Hello Heero Yuy. It seems that you've given my men an awful hard time."

Huy closed his eyes and tried to shut the man out.

"Will you join us?" he asked.

This was itHuy was going to have to answer and it would probably determine if he would live or die. But there was no choice, even if he wanted to, he could never say yes. He wasn't Heero Yuy, Gundam Pilot Zero One. He clenched his teeth and steeled himself for what the blond man would do. For some reason he was ten times more afraid of this man than the othersit was just something that he could sense, an instinct.

But he answered no anyway, and the whip lashed him painfully across his back

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thump, thump, thump

"Wufei, what in blazes do you think you're doing," Sally asked, almost laughing as she watched her partner bang his head with a perfect regular rhythm on his desk.

Thump, thump "I should have knownthere was no excuse for such incompetenceI am not worthy to"  


"Don't you think that I am not worthy' stuff is a little old? You've been saying that for two years."

"I should have followed my instincts" Thump.

"You don't have any to follow."

Wufei paused for a second to glare at Sally and them resumed his thumping.

After five more minutes of thumping, Sally couldn't take it any more and asked, "What happened?" 

"Heero sent me an e-mail. You know that pesky group lead by the old White Fang Lieutenant that's been hoarding all the scrap metal?" Thump.

"Yah." 

"They tried to kidnap Heero." Thump.

"What's the problem. They apparently didn't succeed if Heero e-mailed you about it."

"They got a guy Heero knows, Huy Iwasato. This guy looks identical to Heero and he's completely innocent." Thump.

"Crap"

Thump, thump, thump

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Huy screamed. He had been doing a magnificent job of not crying or yelling when they hit him, but he couldn't hold it in anymore. He felt like he was dying. 

WHAM!!

Huy felt the fist collide with his face again. "You changed your mind yet, kid?"

"No" he whispered. He couldn't say yes. It wasn't possible. But he wasn't going to tell them who he really was either.

But then his mind began to work. Why didn't they know? Surely someone was looking for him and he would be in the papers. They were terrorists. They would be reading the papers–surely. Why didn't they know that they had the wrong kidunless they were just playing with him and using him as a bribe to get the real Heero. 

Or maybe no one cared that he was missing. Yes, that was probably it. No one caredno one ever did. Huy Iwasato was no more and no one would care. Stop thinking like this Huy!! Your family loves you and Heero has shown countless times that he cares about you. But then why didn't he come and help you?

Huy's mind continued to ramble on as the blond man proceeded to tenderize him.

He didn't know what he could take.

Then there was the snap as Huy felt a rib crack sharply.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N You didn't honestly think that I would make it _that_ simple did you? Also, please pardon the sap. My little sap-o-meter was bleeping the whole time, but those parts are kind of necessary, but I do try to keep it at a minimum.

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^= (I should really figure out how to make an evil kitty face.)


	25. A Second Death

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Five

A Second Death

Disclaimer: It ain't mine

That day was the most difficult of Heero's life, and that was really saying something.

He knew where Huy was, he knew who had Huy, and he knew roughly why they had wanted him. But he had to go to school so that the police wouldn't grow suspicious and detain him for questioning. He fidgeted and squirmed in his seat, a nervous leg would jump up and down, and he tapped his fingers on his desk. He didn't know how much more he could take. 

The moment dinner was over, he snuck away from the other boys and dashed to his dorm room. Digging through his closet, he pried back a board that he had loosened last night to hide his weapons in. The police had surely searched his room everyday since Huy's disappearance, and he could not afford to be found with so much as a butter knife in his room, much less ammunition and eight inch blades.

Heero changed into a T-shirt and jeans, pulling on his sturdy tan boots. He stuffed one gun in the front of his waistband and another into the back. Then he strapped a knife to his ankle, two others to each arm, and stuffed five magazines in his jacket pockets–lots of ammunition was always a necessity and precaution. He filled his backpack with library books and crammed in a water bottle as a last minute thought, then he swung it onto his back. They would be his alibi if the police tried to search him: going to the library to return some books. If the police tried to frisk him, he would whap them over the head with the bag and run. Then he slipped out of the red brick building.

Quickly and discreetly, he covered the street and escaped the campus. After passing the city library, Heero caught a bus and sat down in a seat mid-way through, trying to calm his jumping nerves.

Huy would be okayHuy would be okayHuy would be

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Official Preventor business, out of the way, official" Wufei yelled, parting the crowd in the police station, Sally following in his wake trying her best to smother giggles.

Wufei stormed into the Chief's office and glared meaningfully around.

The older man ignored Wufei and asked pointedly to the older Sally, "Preventors? What the heck's goin' on?"

"Five days ago Huy Iwasato was abducted. His disappearance has been linked to a group of terrorists. It is now in our jurisdiction. I am Major Po, and this is my partner Lieutenant Chang; we are requesting that you turn over all records dealing with this case and recall all you're men from their stations." Sally's face was stern now, swiped of the earlier amusement caused by Wufei's usual brash manner.

"You expect me to turn over this case to a young giggly woman and a cocky teenager?" the Chief asked, not failing to notice the long purple bruise on the boy's forehead and nose. "I don't think so. You have to have forms signed as well. Besides, we have no evidence that Huy Iwasato was involved in any illegal"

"Huy is innocent," Wufei interrupted. The Chief expected him to continue and explain, but Wufei remained silent.

"Here is our authority," Sally said, breaking the silence with the presentation of a long form signed by Lady Une.

The Chief recognized the signature and grudgingly called all the detectives and policemen involved in the investigation to his office. "They will all be here shortly and will brief you on the situation."

Wufei smirked condescendingly. Sally smacked him on the shoulder. Wufei glared at her and then they both stood still in place, waiting for the men to come in.

The first to show was a man in his mid thirty's. "This is Detective Helmer," the Chief said abruptly. "Helmer, these people are from the Preventors. They are taking over the Iwasato case, kindly brief them while I gather the files."

Helmer looked like he had swallowed something nasty. The Preventors always forced their way into everything, and now they were even further insulting the local police department by sending two children ingrates. This obviously wasn't that important to the Preventors, but they still felt that they must claim their territory, the detective thought angrily.

"Basically we've got nothing. From what we can gather, Huy disappeared sometime early Saturday morning, between midnight and four a.m. Four of his friends alerted us about seven thirty that morning. Huy's roommate was missing, out looking for Huy according to the other boys. We searched the room, found nothing. The roommate reappeared, but it was like talking to a brick wall. He didn't give us a thing. We suspect that all the boys were out doing well, God only knows what–what teenagers get up that early on Saturday? But none are talking. One has left the little circle and we are trying to crack him, but he seems terrified of something. Two just stare at us blankly. Another glares at us, and then, once again, the roommate is a wall. Until they talk, we can't go any further. Merry Christmas," he spat out.

Then it hit him. The roommate' looked uncannily like Huy Iwasato. Huy disappeared and the boys were all terrified, yet Heero Yuy remained unmoved and seemingly unaffected. Now the Preventor's were here. "This has to do with the roommate, doesn't it?" he asked quietly.

Neither Sally nor Wufei said a word.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Neas looked around the library for Heero at the usual table. Mandatory study. Ugg. 

Heero wasn't there yet, so Neas took his usual seat. Shortly thereafter, Kumen and Jimbo joined him. After another fifteen minutes they were all looking nervously at each other. 

Then they realized the same thingHeero wasn't going to come. He was gone too.

The boys made a run for it, but were waylaid by two teachers. "Where do you boys think you are going?"

"We left our essays in our dorms!" Neas said breathlessly before the other two could give them away.

The teachers looked at them skeptically. "But you knew that you had study today."

"Yah, but we still forgot," Neas retorted dumbly, a little panicked. Every minute that passed, Heero was getting farther away. 

"PLEASE!" Kumen suddenly pleaded.

The teachers rolled their eyes as if each were saying, I've heard this a million times and it drives me insane. "Okaybut if you are not back in ten minutes, we are going after you. Understand?" The boys nodded. "Good. I need your names"

Another two minutes later, the four were sprinting down the street to the dorm, barreling up the stairs, and pounding on Heero's door. "HEERO!! ARE YOU IN THERE!!!! GET YOUR SORRY BUTT OUT HERE!!!!!!" Neas yelled at the top of his lungs.

"What on Earth is all this screaming for?" the landlady asked suddenly appearing behind them.

Jimbo screeched like a girl and jumped three feet in the air he was so surprised. "How did you get here so fast?" Kumen asked.

"You boys were galloping around like a bunch of race horses, I could hear you all the way from the school. What's going on?"

"Our friend didn't show up for study, so we came to see if he was here."

"I take it you boys don't have a key." They all shook their heads. "Where is his roommate?"

"His roommate is Huy Iwasato, ma'am," Kumen said softly.

The woman started a moment, then shook her head. "Well, for the life of me, I don't understand why I can't remember this room number. I've had to open it at least twenty times in the past four days. Give me a couple minutes and I'll get it for you," she sighed.

They grinned appreciatively and as soon as she disappeared, they began to pound on the door again.

Three minutes later she appeared again. "Good grief!! Don't tear down my door!! Outta the way" and she unlocked the door and jumped out of the way quickly so as to not get mauled by three teenage boys.

They quickly rummaged around the room. "He's not here" Kumen said quietly.

"Oh, thank you for that very perceptive deduction. Why don't we give him a prize!! I'm calling the police," Neas said harshly as he strode out of the room. "Can I borrow your phone, ma'am?" he asked more kindly.

She sighed again, but said, "Okay."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ai sat down on the foot of the bed and watched her husband pace up and down the carpet. Threads would surely be showing through soon. "Should we call?" she asked.

"NoI don't think so. This is something Heero has to do on his own. The police would just mess everything up."

Then the vidphone rang. Ai lunged for it, Ryuzou two steps behind her. "Hello," she said quickly, anxious when she saw the Chief's face on the screen.

"Mrs. Iwasato," he greeted. "I think that you and your husband had better come down to the station. There has been a little change in the investigation" he trailed off.

"We'll be there in a couple minutes." And she hung up.

They sprinted down to the rental car and Ryuzou sped to the police station, rushing through the doors. Everyone at the office now knew the parents of Huy Iwasato, so no one stopped their entry. Ryuzou threw open the Chief's door to see the room full of detectives and lieutenants that he had seen over and over, looking for his son. And then he saw the teenager with an odd bruise and a blond Chinese woman; both were dressed in Preventor uniforms.

"What is going on," he questioned immediately.

"Mr. and Mrs. Iwasato, these people," the Chief said motioning to the Preventors, "are Major Po and Lieutenant Chang. The are here on behalf of the Preventors. They will be taking over the search of your son."

Ryuzou quickly sized up the two. A young woman with slanted eyes and twists, and a very, very Chinese teenager with a hard gaze and a tight ponytail. Then it struck him, once he got past the purple linethe look in his eyes was identical to Heero's. And then he knew that he was facing another one of the five Gundam pilots. "Nice to meet you," he said quietly.

Chang nodded in quiet respect, something that did not pass over the Chief's notice. That boy had been a pain in the you-know-what since he came, demanding and barking orders. Why did he respect Ryuzou Iwasato so suddenly? Did he mistake the man for being Chinese?

"We will find your son, but we want to ask" the phone interrupted Sally before she could finish her statement.

"What is it Lily," the Chief barked into the vidphone's audio receiver. 

"We've got call you should listen to," Lily told him.

"Not now"

"But siryou should REALLY listen to it NOW."

Something in her voice made him nervous. "Play it for me."

"Right away sir." Then her face disappeared as she hooked up several wires and made a transfer. Then the screen fizzed out and a teenage Arabian appeared on the screen with a tall black boy and a large white boy behind him. The room became deathly silent, and Wufei and Sally crouched over the screen.

"This is 9110 department. What's your emergency?" an unseen voice asked.

"This is Neas Abish. I'm calling to report a missing person."

"How long have they been missing?"

"His name is" the boy rambled quickly, ignoring the question.

The voice cut him off, catching the deliberate disregard of the question. "If your friend has not been missing for more than twenty-four hours, then I suggest you go looking for him yourself."

"But you don't understand!" the boy said, panicked.

"I don't have time for pranks."

"But you have to listenit's really important," he pleaded.

"And so are the hundreds of other people calling in. Goodnight kid, and go do your homework."

And the screen went blank. The room's silence became almost hostile. "That was one of Huy's friends" the Chief breathed out heavily. Then Lily's face reappeared.

"I told you that you would want to see it."

"Where was that kid calling from?"

"I've already dispatched several men to pick the boys up."

"You're a good girl, Lily. When will they be here?"

"Any minute."

"Thanks. Send them to my office as soon as they arrive."

"Will do." Then the screen blipped blank.

"Will anyone care to explain what just happened?" Ryuzou asked from the back of the room.

"Neas just called in to report a missing person. We can only assume, since Kumen and Jimbo were behind him and Culver hasn't associated with them since Huy's disappearance, that they were going to report Heero–the roommate," he told Wufei and Sally.

"We know who Heero is," Wufei retorted.

Then the Chief looked carefully at the Chinese boy clearly for the first time, and then back to Ryuzou. "What's going on here? What do you know that we don't?" he pressed.

"It's none of your concern now that we are in charge," Wufei said shortly.

Then the door burst open again to admit three high school students escorted by two fuzzes. "What's happened to Heero?" the Chief immediately asked.

"We don't know. We haven't seen him since dinner and he's not in his dorm," Neas quickly answered, looking relieved that someone was listening to him. Ai whimpered from the wall and sank into a chair. Wufei raised an eyebrow at her reaction.

"But he's disappeared before. What's so different this time?"

"I knew where he was then. He didn't say a word this time," Neas said firmly.

"I think that it's about time that you tell us what is really going on. The information that you have could save both boys' lives."

Neas stood tall and kept his mouth shut tight. Jimbo and Kumen cowered behind him.

The to everyone's surprise, it was Wufei who did the distracting to lighten the moment, albeit unintentionally. "I need to borrow your computer," he directed his request to the Chief.

"What for?" he began as Wufei sat down and typed quickly. 

"Crud" he muttered under his breath.

"What is it?" Sally asked, standing behind him. Then she swore.

"Enlighten" the Chief muttered.

"Heero sent me an e-mail. He's found Huy and he's going after him tonight," Wufei said.

"But he can't do that alone" Helmer began, but was interrupted when Wufei and Sally burst out laughing. Everyone stared at them as if they had just been declared legally insane.

"Just you wait. There isn't anything Heero can't do," Sally said confidently.

"Then why did you say crap' just a second ago?" Helmer asked.

"Because we're going to have to clean up after him," Wufei smirked. "Heero's not too nice sometimes." Then he looked over at Ryuzou. "But you already knew all of this, didn't you?"

The Japanese man nodded. "I talked to him last night. He told me everything." But only Wufei and Sally and Ai truly understood what he meant by everything.' It certainly wasn't something so insignificant as where the boys were the night Huy disappeared.

"HEERO TALKED TO YOU AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US!" the Chief boomed. "I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO FIND YOUR SON AGAIN!"

"I DO!! AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I'M LETTING HEERO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING!!" Ryuzou yelled twice as loud as the Chief, startling everyone. 

"But Heero can't do it on his own, not after how sick he's been" Ai whispered in a strained voice. Her face was pale and she looked worn, a shadow of her former self.

"Sick?" Sally and Wufei asked at once, looking at each other.

"Since when does Heero get sick?" Wufei wondered out loud.

"He's collapsed twice at school. The doctor said it was anemia," Jimbo volunteered.

"That doesn't sound right. We'd better find him and fast" Sally whispered. "Heero's to strong for something like that to affect himhe relocates his own bones, for heaven's sake. And he understands that you need to take care of yourself, anemia is self-inflicted to a certain extent."

"You guys sound as if you know this boy personally," the Chief said a little menacingly.

"We do, as does Lady Une," they both said quickly.

"Wha?" the Chief was badly startled, for the fifty-millionth time that day.

"I told you that Huy was innocent. Not Heero. I wouldn't be surprised if we find those terrorists shot through the head when Heero is done with them," Wufei said.

The Chief paled. "But he's a teenager"

"So am I," Wufei said quietly. 

"Wufei" Sally began.

And then Jimbo blurted out innocently, "You're the Gundam Pilot, aren't you!!" He seemed very pleased with his observation.

Wufei smirked and strode out of the room. "Sally, get instructions to Heero's dorm room."

"Hey! I'm your superior youNeas, come on kid. We need to tell mister I-got-out-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed-this-morning' how to get there. He has the worst humanly possible sense of direction"

Neas numbly followed Sally out, and everyone stared from Jimbo to Kumen to Ai to Ryuzou. 

"YOU KNEW THAT HEERO YUY WAS A GUNDAM PILOT!!" the Chief screamed.

"Heero's a what?" Jimbo asked, nonplussed.

Wufei screeched around a corner, nearly running over several little old women. "Wufei!! Slow down!! You don't own the road!" Sally yelled.

"Yes I do" he gritted out defiantly.

"Turn left he-re" Neas voice cracked nervously. "It's the big red brick building over there," he said weakly as Wufei jerked to a stop on the side of the road.

He jumped out, dragging Neas by the collar of his shirt and barked at him to unlock the door. Neas' hands shook a little and Sally yelled at Wufei to stop terrorizing Neas.

They ran into the building and the landlady took one look at the wild-eyed Wufei and lunged for the vidphone.

Wufei jumped into the office and knocked the phone away. "I need the key to Heero Yuy's room," he said fiercely.

Neas and Sally followed in. "It's okay, ma'am. He's a Preventor," Neas explained.

"And I'll make sure to put the leash and muzzle back on him as soon as we leave," Sally assured.

The older woman sighed and got the key for room C-17 once more, then plodded up the stairs so slowly that Sally was afraid the Wufei would grab her and sprint the rest of the way up with her over his shoulder.

Finally, they entered the room and Wufei plopped into the Heero's desk chair, clicking away on the direction pad. "Try that"

"NahHeero's never that obvious. It'll have a pass word." Wufei was sure that Heero would have some clues as to where he thought Huy was on his hard-drive, somewhere. "Here it is," he said softly. "I just have to figure out how to break the code"

"That could take forever with Heero," Sally said, not very encouragingly.

Neas sat numbly on Heero's bed, watching the Preventors nose through Heero's computer with quiet wonder and awe at that night's revelations, dissolving into the background.

" wingzero'!! Do you honestly think that he would use his Gundam as his password?"

"It's been done before," Wufei defended himself.

Sally sighed in disgust. "Try something less obvious."

"Relena? Peacecra" he said when Sally smacked him. 

" Hi Wufei'? Where did that come from?"

"I don't knowI'm just typing for the heck ofoh. Holy. Crap. That was it"

"What do ya knowhe knows you better than you know yourself"

"wait, something's not right here."

Sally's face grew serious as she peered over her partner's shoulder. "I don't get it? What is all of this stuff?"

"It seems this operation is a bit more extensive than Heero let on. Look, they've got some governor involved!"

"Wait, I know that name," Sally said. "Help me remember. George Morris"

"Isn't he the local governor for a group of colonies?" Wufei asked.

"Yah, he is. Andpeople were really worried because the last colony he was in charge of had a few problems" Sally trailed off in thought.

"A few problems? Didn't it completely fall apart?"

"You're right. I think we had better get back to the station, contact Lady Une. This is bigger than we thought."

Wufei nodded numbly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The light clicked off again and the door slammed shut.

Jothan Kirkpatric's heavy footfalls had everyone in the kitchen on their feet as he entered. "He hasn't said a word, but we will break him."

"I don't get how pretending to think that he is Heero will get any information from" Traz grumbled.

"If he knows anything at all, he'll probably yell it out and try to get us to leave him alone. Force eventually gets all the answers," Yajoroo volunteered.

Jensin sat on the floor looking pale Jothan was worried that he'd give out soon. He didn't have the same constitution as the rest of them having joined the group after the wars ended.

Huy allowed himself to groan out loud, but he breathed in too hard. A sharp pain shot up through him, a shock that settled in his brain and he tried not to breathe. He laid on his back and took shallow breaths, trying not to further injure himself. He had a sneaky suspicion that a rib was forced inward and ripping at his lung. Well, if he started to cough up blood, he would know for sure.

He stared up at the ceiling, trying to focus on happier times to prevent himself from wailing, playing his mind's pictures across the canvas of the blackness above. Though the room was pitch black, he could hear little noises from outside of the roomthere was a crack in one wall, and the floor was coated in a thin layer of dustwhere was he? He didn't know. When was the last time he'd eaten? When they had forced some bread into his mouth last night. They had to keep him alive, they said. He had nearly choked on the water. The room smelled of human excretion. There was no bathroom, but Huy wouldn't have been able to stand and use it if it was there.

His chest was throbbingcouldn't anyone find him?

Something began to crawl on his leg and panic arose in his chest. Calm down Huy, he told himself. You are just imagining thingsyour imagination is a bit too vivid and active for your own goodcalm down

Then the door opened, flooding the room with light. Huy choked back a sob. They had just left! What else could they do to him? He hadn't even heard footsteps to warn him that they were coming

The light disappeared as the door closed. Soft footsteps approached him. He braced himself for the strike, trying to continue his pained breath

A hand rested gently on his neck, feeling for a pulse. "Huy" Heero's familiar and welcome voice whispered softly.

Huy's eyes flew open to meet Heero's, the light from the crack in the wall reflecting off of them. Huy began to cry.

"It's okay. I'm getting you out of here," Heero told him.

Huy nodded, unable to speak. He felt the ropes binding his wrists and ankles fall away and hands rubbing circulation back into his bloodless appendages. Heero started to lift Huy up when he moaned out loud and Heero let him back down.

"What's hurt, Huy?"

"They broke a couple of my ribs and one is stabbing inwardI'm not sure what else"

He couldn't see Heero's face, but Heero lifted him up again, more carefully and slowly until he was in the upright siting position. He heard a zipper clink and then a bottle was pressed into his hands. "Drink," Heero instructed. "Slowly."

Huy lifted it and gulped it all down as slowly as he could force himself. The door opened a crack, and Heero peered out cautiously. Then he turned back to Huy and helped him to stand. Huy pitched forward and Heero caught him before he smashed his nose on the floor. "I guess I'm just really weak"

"That and your leg is at a right angle"

"Heh, guess I was concentrating so hard on my ribs that I didn't notice."

"Apparently. You can't walk on that. Hold onto me."

Huy gratefully wrapped an arm around his friend and they limped out of the room slowly. 

Two men came sprinting into the kitchen and center of operations. "Lieutenant Kirkpatric, sir, we believe we've had a break in. We noticed a blip in the camera's. Someone has fixed them so they show the same pictures over and over."

"What?! How could that be done from the outside?" Jothan asked harshly.

"I don't know, sir," the younger man was sweating heavily.

"It's got to be Yuy," Yajoroo said at Jothan's elbow.

"Naturally," Jothan said. "Send two men to check on the prisoner. Alert me on channel seven if anything is out of order," he said, switching on a portable radio.

Huy noticed the gun in Heero's hand. Every time they reached a doorway or a corner, Heero peeked around it, weapon first, and then pulled Huy onward.

They plodded along at a painfully slow pace through the darkened corridors–little curls of ancient paint decorated the floors and incessant dripping helped to fill the unnerving silence. Several men suddenly strode out of a room on the left side of the wall about ten feet in front of the boys and stopped in the hall, staring in shock at them. But in a second they had pulled their own guns and aimed for them.

"Put the gun down, kid," a brunette ordered. The other man said something on a walkie-talkie.

Heero put the safety on his gun and dropped it with a clatter to the concrete floor. 

"Good, now put the kid down too."

Huy could sense Heero almost smirking as his friend lowered his weak, bruised body to the frozen floor. Then he stood boldly staring the men down.

"Well, wellthe boss was right after all." He evidently expected Heero to ask him what he meant, but Heero didn't say a word; he just stared on with a cold calculating gaze. 

"Com'on, let's get them to the South hall. The Lieutenant said he'd meet us there."

Then two things happened almost at the same time. In a swift movement, Heero reached back behind him for the other gun. Then another lone man from behind silently jumped at Huy and shoved a gun at his neck.

"Touch that weapon, and he dies," he said, implying Huy.

Heero let his hand fall, dropping the weapon uselessly to the ground and held his hands up.

"Good. Now walk. And you kid, get up and walk."

"He can't. His leg's broken," Heero interjected.

"Shut up," he snapped. "Get up boy," he yelled at Huy again.

Huy leaned forward carefully on his hands and pushed himself up on one leg, the other flopping uselessly. "Ga" one of the soldiers cringed.

"Help him Garber," the other barked to the gasping man, as he held a gun to Heero's spine. "You"

Heero walked, steadily but his mind was frantic. He couldn't believe that he had been caught this easily–clumsy and stupid. But he was out of practicehe could not and would not failthis was not for himno mission ever was. He had to think and fast.

They wove in and out through several corridors. The place was a labyrinth of passages, a virtual piece of art. Rundown though it appeared on the outside, it was a sturdy barrack on the inside.

Heero made notes of the directionsright, right, through the middle of a room, left, down stairs, left, left

They entered a large room full of large sheet-swathed equipment with high latticed windows, and a blond man was standing in front of them with four men behind him. Heero quickly recognized this man and decided that he was the leader and then sized up the blond man's companions--his other opponents.

Two tall and lean, two short and muscular, the one with a gun to his head, another odd man guarding the door that they had just come through, and the one helping Huythen the blond. All were armed with semi-automatics and pistols. The blond carried a bullwhip in his belt.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Wufei turned to Sally as he put down the vidphone receiver. "Well?" she asked, anxiously.

"She doesn't want to go after Morris yetmight endanger Huy and/or Heero. She figures Heero'll probably take care of the guys and we'll get a couple to confess the whole plot. Scandal, law suits, yadda, yadda, yadda, Morris is in jail."

"So what does she want us to do?"

"Find Heero, give assistance where needed, and clean up after him," Wufei said calmly.

"But" Sally stopped when Detective Helmer knocked and entered the room.

"So what's going on? Do you honestly expect us to just step out of this mess and let you take care of it all after everything that we have done trying to find that boy? Do you?" he said quietly.

Wufei glared stiffly out a window and Sally rubbed her temples. "This is a lot more complicated than we thought. Political reaso"

"Politics my foot! A kid could be dead out there! I don't see how the two of you can take care of everything." Helmer was fuming.

"You're right," Wufei said softly.

Helmer's face scrunched in confusion. "Right about what?"

"We can't do it on our own. We may not be able to do anything about the root of the problem, YET, but we can help Heero and Huy. We are only two. We are weak, thus we need the help of the stron"

"Oh shut up Wufei!" Sally burst and Helmer raised an eyebrow at her reaction. Sally turned to the detective. "What Wufei is saying is that this whole thing was started by someone else. There are a lot of people involved, and the instigator is not on this colony. Lady Une instructed us not to reveal the presence of this person in any shape, form, or fashion. We are to find Heero, thus we will find Huy, and get them out of this mess as quickly and quietly as possible. For that we will need some help. You see this as a local kidnapping, thus it is in you jurisdiction. But because of its far reaches, it is in our jurisdiction. We can carry out a mission and get the kids in and out. But we will need your help in hiding from the media and the holding of the men or women involved here. We have reason to believe that thirty or so trained men are holding Huy in a compound. The two of us won't be enough." Sally stopped and looked at Helmer, waiting for a reaction.

Helmer stood still for a moment as if digesting all of the information, then he turned, opened the door, and yelled for the chief.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hello, Heero Yuy. It's a shame that you went sneaking around. We would have let you in, had you knocked," the blond man greeted Heero and the band of men. "I have a proposition for you, Zero One. You are a soldier, and from what we have been able to learn, you have always been one, thus you should be quite ready to listen. So please desist looking for an escape, for you will not see one. It would be quite beneficial to listen to us; you might even find what we have to say to your liking."

Heero kept his eyes focused on the man speaking before him but poised himself to grab at the blade attached to his forearm. They had bungled in not checking him for other weapons.

"The Earth and Space Colonies have chosen to co-exist. That is very admirable, however it cannot work. Eventually someone will give and fighting will begin again. But our wonderful, angelic Miss Darlin has eliminated all weapons except for those, which the Preventors use during emergencies. I cannot see the good in this. Everyone is defenseless, thus there are millions of perfect openings for attack. Anyone with any amount of ambition could easily take over. 

"I am Jothan Kirkpatric, one of the leaders of a new organization. Our organization wishes to show this weakness to Miss Darlin. Perhaps it will help her to realize her flawed system and make certainamendments to her laws. But much like the former White Fang, we need a figurehead, an emblem, atitle. Would you be willing to pilot our new Gundam and be that figure, Heero Yuy?"

Huy looked from Kirkpatric backed by four to Heero standing with a gunman at his head and another with himself and behind. He wanted to run and hide very, very badly.

Heero didn't blink. "Do you think you are God?"

"No more than Trieze Kushranada or Zechs Marquis, or even yourself for that matter, did."

Heero shook his head sadly. "But you missed what they were trying to accomplish."

"No I didn't. It's just what they were doing was wrong. They wanted to show how horrible battles were by creating the worst one imaginable. Thus they would incite the people all over the Earth and Colonies to lay down arms and eliminate them. Even you Gundam Pilots destroyed your weapons. But this idea cannot work for someday someone will rise up and take over."

"Like you?"

"Don't be so pessimistic and distrustful, Zero One." The blond was persistent, and Heero had to think fast.

"That's not my name," he heard himself saying. This Jothan was lying about what they were doing and all of his subordinates were buying it from the looks on their faces. Did they even know about Morris? It had been difficult enough for Heero to find the information about that obscure colony and it's plight from about fifteen years ago and then link it to Morris. After several days of frantic searching and following his instincts, Heero had had an epiphany and realized what had happened only last night. So if this Jothan hadn't told his underlings the truth, there was only a very slim possibility that they knew the truth. That was when he decided to act. But Heero didn't like the way this conversation was going. He couldn't let Jothan know that he already knew all about the plot for Morris to take over. Heero's mind continued to spin.

"Oh, is that so? Then what is it? Heero Yuy?" Kirkpatric laughed, amused and annoyingly confident.

Huy felt very awkward. He knew Heero had another namebut Heero didn't. He wanted to yell the name out. But he couldn't.

Heero laughed suddenly. It was his strange, off-balance laugh of someone pushed too far, and it scared everyone in the room and managed to unnerve them. Then Heero stopped as suddenly as he had started, grabbing the knife from his sleeve and lunged for Kirkpatric, aiming for his heart.

But Kirkpatric's reflexes were nearly as good as Heero's, and he reached up to grab the boy's wrists. Heero had Kirkpatric on the floor and was pressing the blade down, blue-white light reflecting off of it.

A burst of strength from Kirkpatric threw Heero off of him and the four other men had their guns cocked and ready to shoot. Heero rolled over to the side and flipped up and behind them. They all whirled around in confusion, firing randomly now. A man fell in the crossfire. Heero landed in their midst and delivered quick, paralyzing blows to their exposed necks.

However, Kirkpatric was not startled by any of the actions. He fired quick, precise, and accurate shots one after the other at Heero, who used his knife to deflect them, the bullets ping-pinging off the silver-white blade and chipping into the hard, stony floor. 

The man who had had a gun to Heero's head fell dead to the cold floor as a stray bullet struck him, and the man holding Huy was now cowering and using Huy as a body shield.

Huy, ignoring the pain in his leg and ribs, rolled on his side, and with his good leg, kicked the man squarely in the face and grabbed for his gun.

After managing to knock the knife out of Heero's hand with his whip, Kirkpatric ran out of bullets and could not spare any precious moments to reload it. So he jumped at Heero preparing to bludgeon him to death with the empty weapon and rip at him with the leather strap. Heero ran forward to meet him, swiftly pulling the knife from his ankle out and plunging it into the man's stomach as the metal collided with his skull and the whip lashed through his coat and at the bare skin of his shoulder. He could feel the knife grinding against bone and the sting of fresh blood on his flesh.

Heero fell back stunned and Kirkpatric, half in shock, fell forward on top of him. Huy pushed himself up and hopped on one leg over to the two fallen men. Panting and sweating, Heero pushed Kirkpatric off of him and pulled the knife out of the man's gut with a grunt, feeling the grinding and releasing of suction inside the body. Kirkpatric grasped for the whip and attempted to lash out with it, but his strength failed. Then, with one final swing of his blade, Heero severed his life.

Then, not looking up at Huy, Heero got up. "We'd better get going. I counted twenty-four men here in the compound. This is only eight. They will be here soon."

Numbly, Huy held out the gun he had grabbed. "Here," he said, his voice quiet. "You might want this." Huy was about to comment on Heero's injured shoulder, but decided that he was not needed to point out the obvious.

Heero grabbed the gun and shoved it into his waistband. Then he carefully wrapped one of Huy's arms around his neck and left the room, plodded along the hall. The walking was uncomfortable. Huy couldn't stand on his bad leg at all and he had just watched Heero, his brother and friend, kill. He had always expected Heero to be involved with something bad–but it was drugs that he expected. This was much worse. Heero was a cold-blooded assassin. But he didn't want to show Heero how nervous he was.

When Heero heard some footsteps, he stopped and deposited Huy against a wall. Then he jumped up, pushed up a ceiling panel with his hands, gripping the thin metal frame, and kicked open a vent to the side, a blast of stale, rank air smashed into his face. After he swung himself up and into it, turned his body head forward, he pulled Huy up. "Stay here. I'll come back for you. If shooting gets rough here, move to the left and try to get over the top of an empty room. Got it?"

Huy nodded and laid down, closing his eyes, his body deadened with pain. He heard Heero jump down, landing softly on the balls of his feet and then nothing.

Heero sprinted down the halls, listening for sound and following it. He came upon a yellow kitchen with fluorescent lights, an old gas stove, and a refrigerator in a corner. Five men were crowded around a table fiddling with a radio transmitter, calling into it.

"Lieutenant Kirkpatric, do you read! Answer, do you read, Lieutenant?" one man was calling. Heero could smell the fear it was so evident.

Heero crouched down close to the floor, cocked his gun, and disposed of the equipment. Then he took out their knees.

Someone grabbed onto his neck from behind. "Thought you were really sneaky, didncha, little boy?"

Heero stood up and awkwardly flung himself backward against a wall, making his attacker groan in pain. He continued the barrage of attacks until the man fell off, and Heero glared down at a redheaded man. He cocked the gun and fired one shot straight in the center of his forehead. He was trying to spare as many lives as he possibly could, but some of these men were too dangerous and he couldn't risk having them around.

This was another six. That left ten.

But he didn't have to wait long. Two came running down the hall to meet Heero's knives and four more lost their knees.

Only four left. Heero's shoulder was leaking blood and he stopped to bind it so as not to leave a trail behind him. But he could feel his pulse rising and his reaction time was improving with each fight. His mind was clear and he was focused. It felt great and at the same time, depressing.

Heero figured that these last four would have figured out what was going on, so he had to search them out and come up with a plan. He had plenty of ammo, he took five fully loaded guns off of the men he had attacked and removed his three knives from the bodies.

He stopped and searched every room that he came too until he heard a soft scratching noiselike ratsbig rats with guns

Heero pulled the old trick of hiding in ceiling tiles and waited patiently. Then the sirens startled him.

Crapthose stupid cops had found him. They would just get in the way.

Heero almost growled but stopped himself. Two men flung themselves out from behind a corner, guns poised and ready. When they saw the hall empty, they stopped and stood up.

"No one's here"

"But we saw him in the camera"

"I don't get it," one said, scratching his head in confusion.

Jumping down, Heero shot carefully and the men fell with yelps. But then Heero realized his mistake too late. Perhaps he wasn't as good as he thought–he was careless. A third had been behind him all along.

He felt a gun at his neck. "Put down your weapons." Heero dropped the guns. "All of them."

"I'm not carrying any more."

"The knives." Heero dropped them too. "Good. Now where is Huy Iwasato?"

"I don't know. I left him somewhere, but I'm lost in all of these corridors," Heero lied effectively. He could smell blood

"No matter. The boy's immobile anyway," the voice said. "Good bye, Zero One."

Before the shot could be fired, Heero spun a one-eighty and uppercut the man in the stomach and took the gun. He saw another out of the corner of his eye, sprinting down the hall, and just in time spun around and shot him in the knee. But the first man wasn't down permanently. 

The man with jet-black hair jumped and tore at Heero like a lion, but Heero quickly bounded back out of the man's range and aimed for the head. Jet had sharp reflexes however, and ducked out of the way in time, switching to the offensive during the split second that Heero was realizing that he had missed.

Grabbing Heero by the neck, Jet rammed him into the wall and punched him in the face several times. But then Heero pulled himself out of his dumbfounded state and dropped on his knees and kicked out, unable to swing around with his leg as he was backed into a wall.

Jet fell backwards, his skull cracking loudly against the concrete, but then he bounced back up, with Heero ready and waiting on the defensive. Then Jet grabbed at his injured shoulder. Heero almost screamed, but contained himself. The pain was wicked, grinding, clutching, and cutting through his concentration. 

With his good, free arm, Heero reached around and latched onto the man's neck and stabbed at the pressure point. Jet's eyes rolled up into the back of his head, but Heero didn't let go until the man fainted. Heero fell onto his knees and breathed in free oxygen for a couple breaths before he grabbed a gun and disposed of the twenty-fourth man.

Five dead. Seventeen without knees. Two seriously wounded. Heero smirked and walked off to find Huy.

Before he climbed up, he called to Huy so that he wouldn't run. Huy was lying unconscious and Heero had to drag him out by his good ankle using his one good arm. Then he picked him up like an infant and carried him to an exit, his bad arm throbbing painfully.

Sirens sounded from outside reminding Heero that his ordeal wasn't over. 

Now Heero had to make a choice. He could, A., walk out the door, turn Huy over, let himself be discovered and all that he was trying for dissolve, B., he could have Huy drag himself out on his own and then he'd run for it, C., help Huy out and then run for it, D.,there was no D. Who was he kidding, there was no A., B., or C. eitherhe had no choice, Heero thought as he looked over at Huy's sweating, pale, strained face. 

He could never leave Huy, now or later. Huy needed him right now

Buthe needed his friend too

Heero grit his teeth and pushed open the front door, and walked out dragging Huy with him, allowing himself to be surrounded with policemen, reporters, nurses.blinking blue and red lightswailing sirens. He could feel someone take Huy from him. He was being dragged by a strong handforced into a vehicle of some sortHeero didn't notice what kindit didn't matterhe didn't carehe would be discovered and shunnedhe could never be a humanzero one

He vaguely saw Huy carried away on a stretcherthe hospital

He slumped down into the car seat, his head bent down. He felt the pains of tears threatening to spill overbut he didn'the forced them away. He could before, and he would now.

He felt someone sit down next too himhe heard a familiar voice out side barking orders, but his mind didn't register who was yelling.

"You okay, Yuy?" Wufei asked from beside him.

Heero nodded numbly. 

Wufei seemed to understand and didn't press him for any more information. "Huy's being taken to the hospital now, and Sally is taking care of the turkeys outside. Just stay here." Then he got up to help his partner.

Heero leaned forward and clasped his head between his knees and under his hands. 

It was overit was all overall of it

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A/N That's what Heero thinks!! Ra-ha-hathere are at least three chapters left to this story

Hmmthanks Stargazr for your help with the fighting scenes. I appreciated it sooooooooo much!!!! I can't write them worth crapprobably due to one, I'm a girl, and two, I've never been in a real fight before, and three, I don't like violence. Also, accurate and precise are two very different things (I used them in a description and I didn't want you to think I was getting redundant on you ^_~). Oh welltell me what you think. At least it's a lot better than the fight scene in "Trowa Smiled" (not that that's saying too much)

Also, "pissed off", I'm very sorry that you feel the family spoils the fic, but for me, it is the entire point of the fic (hence the title "Blood Bonds"). If you care to tell me why it spoils the fic, my e-mail is easily accessible.

I really hope that you guys still like this story---it's going to be getting a little angsty again, just as a warning for the upcoming. I really appreciate all the reviews and notes I've received–the have kept me going on thissaga, I guess I should call it. I love you guys!!!! I haven't said it in a while because I wanted to keep the A/N's short and not give anything away, but now I'm saying it a whole bunch. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!

Toodles for now, Tygelilee =^,^=

P.S. Even though I've put up a chapter of a new story, I'm still working on this one, and will finish it, I promise. But that other one just won't get out of my head so I had to put it on paper. Thanks again for reading!!!


	26. Aftermath

Blood Bonds 

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Six

Aftermath

Disclaimer: It's ain't mineI don't have the energy to think of anything more creative.

Heero woke up with one thought on his mind. He was going to the bathroom to wash this disgusting taste out of his mouth.

The bathroom was completely empty and he didn't hear any voices from the halls. It was a school daythat's right

Heero went back to his room to see that other bunk bed--empty as usual. Huy was still in the hospital.

A green tee-shirt, grungy jeansworn running shoesHeero slumped out of the room, not sure where he was going or what he was going to do. He was just walking to be any place but theretrapped in his mind. 

He remembered being taken to the police station, files, questionsbut he felt numb to it all. He had illegal weapons on him, killed five menthat was the norm for life last year. It was actually more normal for him to live like that then it was when he went to school, had friendsbut surely he would be expelled now, not that it really mattered.

He kicked up a rock and dribbled it down the sidewalk sluggishly. He didn't know how long he had been walking, just that the hospital was suddenly in front of him. Looking up at the many, many stories rising above him, Heero felt very small and insignificant. _Why was he here?_

Pushing open the front door, Heero felt a burst of air-conditioned oxygen blast him in the face. 

"What room is Huy Iwasato in?" he asked the nurse at the front desk.

She looked down at him and said shortly, "Only family are allowed up there."

"He is family," Ryuzou's voice said gruffly behind Heero. "Third floor, second hall, 32." Then he left.

Heero walked to the back stairs. He didn't feel like taking the elevatorhe wanted time to think. _Think what?_

It didn't take long for him to reach Huy's room. Two guards were napping in the plastic chairs on the sides of the hallway and, surprisingly, the media was not swarming the area. Maybe the police had managed to keep it quiet, but he didn't understand how they could havethey had so many informants, but it wasn't as if he would know anywayhe never read the papers unless he got on-line. He knocked and the door slid open; it hadn't been shut tightly by the last person who was there.

Huy was lying on his back, leg in a cast and a large brace around his rib cage. He was awake with a book in his hand, making notes on a legal pad. He looked a little thinner and scratches and bruises riddled his arms, neck, and face, but other than that, he looked perfectly normal.

He glanced up and smiled brightly as Heero walked in and took the chair in the corner. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

Huy smiled still more brightly. "So, I guess you're okay!"

Heero snorted. Then he looked at the floor, memorizing the speckled pattern of browns and greens. 

They sat in silence. Huy seemed perfectly content with this--just elated that Heero had come to visit him. 

Finally Heero whispered almost inaudibly, "Sorry"

"For what?" Huy asked lightly.

"This is all my fault. If I had never come here, if I could just stay away from peopleno one would ever get hurt"

"Nonsense!" Huy said gleefully. "I would never be passing any of my classes if you hadn't come around. Besides, I would still look like you even if you were on the other side of the moon. It's always dangerous to look like you. And now I'm okay."

"You don't understand"

"I most certainly do! You are a soldier with skills most of us mere mortals could only dream of and everyone wants you," Huy chattered nonchalantly and sarcastically.

Heero shook his head. "But they meant to get me. You would never have been hurt if"

"Oh shut up," Huy grinned. "Help me with this dumb essay, would ya? I can't for the life of me figure out what the tone of this prose selection is."

Heero looked at Huy, very confused at his happy manner. "You have been beaten, starved, deprived of all human necessities, and witnessed a murder. How can you be so happy? How can you possibly pretend that nothing has happened?"

"I'm not pretending that nothing has happened, but I am accepting who my best friend was and what happened."

"I'm not your best friend, Huy. A friend wouldn't have allowed all that to happen to you. And that is is', not was'. I'm still a killer."

"It wasn't your fault! They started the group, they built the Gundam, they searched you out, they found you, and they captured who they thought was you. It was an easy mistake for them to think I was you and you were me. Heaven only knows how many have done it before! Don't worry about it. Now help me, pleaseI want to keep my A."

Heero wasn't sure what to think after he left Huy. After all the pain and suffering he had seen and been through, Heero was a recluse afraid to befriend anyone. Huy, on the other hand, was just as happy as always. Heero couldn't understand why or how any of this was happening. Was he just a weak person

A car stopped beside the sidewalk where he was plodding along. The window rolled down and Ai smiled cheerfully at him. "Want a ride?"

Heero averted his gaze from her, pretending to look at the park on his right. Children were swinging high, almost touching the leaves of the trees. Parents were chatting peacefully on the benches. "No. I'm fine walking. It isn't that far."

Ai began to try and tempt him into the car when Ryuzou's rough voice barked, "Get in the darn car, Heero, and quit trying to avoid us. We want to talk to you."

"Ryuzou, be nice"

"I am being nice, and I want that kid to get his butt into the back seat of this car, now!"

Heero shook his head and climbed in. He had always felt that Ryuzou wasn't a man you messed around with, and he wasn't in the mood to be defied it seemed. Heero wouldn't put it past Ryuzou to chase him down and drag him by his ears back to the vehicle. Of course Heero could always out-run the older manbut he didn't have the energy.

They took off, to where--Heero had no idea. He continued to avoid their eyes, examining all of his surroundings. 

"Heero," Ryuzou began, "you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. It was self-defense–for both you and Huy. What's more, they were not innocents."

There was more silence, so Ai began. It seemed that they had rehearsed this. "Doll, things like this happen all the time, and for no good reason any of us can see. You just have to learn how to accept it and forgive yourself. You had no choice so you should forgive"

"You misunderstand me," Heero interrupted her abruptly. "I've killed as far back as I can remember. I know that they were not innocent, and I have no problem with killing them. It's the fact that I don't care that bothers me. And how can Huy be hurt so much and be so unaffected while I becomewhat I am," he finished lamely.

The husband and wife exchanged nervous glances. That was not what they expected to hear. But the silence was short, and Ai resumed the discussion. "Heero honey, you have to remember that Huy was raised with a family, secure and safe for the most part. Also, he was only exposed to that for five days. You, I dare say, have never known a family, never been shown any love of any kind. And you have suffered your whole life. You don't know anything but pain and suffering. That is one of the things that has us so worried about you. You don't give yourself enough credit for your strength. Most people could never suffer as you have and still be sane."

"How can you know what I've been through?" he mumbled bitterly. His eyes were stinging annoyingly

"The publicly released profile said that you were trained to be an assassin and to pilot MS suits by a Dr. J. You do know that Toshi served in the war?" Ryuzou glanced back to see Heero nod. "Well, the poor kid could hardly even speak for monthsjust stare off into space, frightened of his own shadows. But we've got him back to normal. You lead a rebellion along with four other fifteen year-olds. That is absolutely incredible--and inconceivable. Do you have any idea how few people could do that? And to keep doing it, believing in the cause so firmly. You were captured, beaten, and downtrodden for years. Heero, I don't think you realize how much respect the world and colonies have for you and your comrades. How could you not be affected? Every person is born with certain innate instincts and personality traits, then they are molded and matured by experience. And this is what makes a person, what makes you. What you have experienced has made you into who you are, but it does not dictate your life. From this point on, you are still who you are, but you can do with yourself as you like. Don't run away from us, or from yourself."

The car stopped in front of Heero's dorm building. He realized that Ryuzou had driven up and down the streets to give them time to talk before they got back. Heero looked up at the building and then toward the distant skyscrapers in the business sections, then to where the shuttle port would be if he could see it. 

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere," Heero said softly, and then he got out of the car and walked to the door.

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Huy sat staring at his literature book, but wasn't really seeing it. He closed his eyes and let everything seep inthere was a dull throbbing in his leg and ribspulsing and aching and spreading through out his body. Worried about Heero and behind in his classes, Huy was stressed and tired. Annoying reporters had already barged into his room several times begging for an interview. Luckily the guards our front had woken up long enough to drag the reporters away. They were doing a good job of keeping the entire situation quiet, but silent was impossible.

There was a wrap at the door, and Huy grit his teethnot another one. But, unlike the other incidents, the person on the other side did not walk in unannounced. "Come in?" he half asked.

The grayed police chief walked in with Detective Helmer behind him. "May we have a seat, Huy?"

"Yah" he said nervously. He quickly folded up his homework and stacked it all neatly to the side of his bed. He watched the two pull up chairs from the corners of the room and sit on the left side of his bed. Helmer's eyes were hard, but the Chief fidgeted and avoided eye contact.

The Chief cleared his throat and began. "Huy, we, uh, we need to have an account, your account, of what has happened. We realize that this may be difficult for you, but, it's for our records and so that we can convict them. Obviously they would never stand a chance in court, but we need the information."

Huy nodded. "I understand. But my parents said that the Preventors were in charge of the case now.why are you" he trailed off.

"The case is rather extensive. The criminals, being terrorists and involved with several other people, are in their jurisdiction. But you and kidnapping are both in ours. Major Po and Lieutenant Chang are investigating the group, they seem to think that the men involved are not the entire organizationand a senator may even be involved. We are just concerned with getting our colony back in order, making sure you are okay, and that your abductors are punished," Helmer explained clearly.

"That makes sense," Huy said softly. He looked down at his bruised knuckles that were lying limply on his blanket. "We went to a bar that night, snuck in underaged, and Heero left us suddenly. I didn't know what was wrong, so I went after him. He had gone out the back alley door, but when I got there, I didn't see him anywhere. That's when this blond guy came up and started talking to me. I just tried to get out of there as fast as I could, but when I tried to leave, someone hit me on the head from behind. I woke up bound in a dark room. They would beat me periodically and asked me questions, try to convince me to join their cause. But I had no idea what they were talking about"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but what _exactly_ were they trying to convince you to do?" Helmer asked.

"They wanted me to pilot a new MS that they had built, some type of Gundam, I believe. They said that I, being a soldier, probably felt useless, like I was leading a pointless life, and this would give me motivation and drive to live. But nothing made any sense to me. Why did they want me–I had never piloted an MS before. But then they called me Heero Yuy, I knew that they just got the wrong guy. Heero had always been really quiet about his past and once I ran into an old friend of his who said that he was a war veteran and that answered a lot of questions for me about Heero. But then I just had to figure out if I should tell them I was Huy Iwasato and not Heero Yuy or if I should pretend."

"This old acquaintance of Heero'swho was he? One of the other Gundam Pilots?" Helmer inserted another question.

"His name was Donny, and I don't think so. He and Heero never actually fought together, they just were friends, had met up on the colony Heero used to live on, went to school together, stuff like that. 

"Anyway, they mentioned some other stuff, which made me realize that Heero was Gundam Pilot Zero One, and I decided to go along with it, decided it was the safest thing to do. And I just kept saying no, I didn't want to fight. I figured it was true enough for Heero. Then Heero snuck in and helped me out. Now I'm here." Huy finished and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm okay, he's okay, and the bad guys are locked up."

"Details, we need details of what exactly Heero did," the chief prompted.

Huy looked at the man nervously. "Well, I didn't see most of what he did, butat first, he half dragged me down the hall, couldn't walk with this ankle and all. We ran into a bunch of guys and he fought them all off. A couple were killed in crossfirehe fought with the blond that I talked about andbeat him" he trailed off, feeling his stomach churn at the memory, Heero's knife swiping downward, also reluctant to get Heero in trouble because of murder

"That boy fought all of those men himself? You honestly expect us to believe that? Didn't he have any of the other Gundam Pilots to come and help?" the chief asked incredulously.

"I don't think so. He fought those guys off, then hid me in an air vent. Then he came back later–at least he must have. I passed out in the vent after a whileI was tired and weak, and the air was still and dry." Huy shrugged, hoping that they wouldn't pursue the deaths.

The chief sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "There were five dead bodies found. Did you see those men die, Huy?" he asked directly.

Huy looked around nervously. "Well"

"Huy," Helmer began, "you and Heero won't get in trouble for those deaths. It was self-defense. No one can argue that. Did Heero kill them all? I mean, besides the ones killed in cross-fire?"

"You're sure? I mean about Heero in trouble and all?"

"Positive. Did he, and if so, how?"

Huy stuttered at first, but then his words began to flow out. It felt good to tell them the truth, he despised lying and deceiving half-truths. Therapy? He supposed that it was a type of itnot the most likely and sympathetic of audiences, but still, it was out in the open. But it was funny to see the look of absolute shock and horror on the chief's face as Huy told him about Heero and what he had done. Heero was an impressive boy, amazing talents and the closed-minded man evidently couldn't begin to fathom how such a boy could be. He looked a lot like a fish out of waterthe whole "ohm-omming" of an empty mouth, grasping and swallowing the air

"It's been nice speaking with you Huy," the detective said, shaking his hand, while the chief nodded stiffly. HeheHeero would probably enjoy hearing about the man's reactionbut then again, maybe not. He didn't seem too proud of his past

"I'm glad I was able to answer your questions." And they were gone. And Huy was alone with his schoolwork once more.

Huy braced himself for returning to school. After the swarm of reporters that had finally found him at the hospital, he was worried. His parents were driving him back to his dorm now. He swung his legs out of the car and his father brought him his crutches, helping him up. The three walked slowly in the building and up to the dorm. Huy's hand shook violently as he inserted the key and popped open the door.

His bed was made and all his clothes were washed and neatly hung up in his closet and his shoes were in neat rows. The papers on his desk were sorted by subject into neat stacks, and the pens and pencils were piled in a corner. "Thanks Mom," Huy said slightly sarcastically.

But Ai understood and held her son to her carefully, very conscious of his broken ribs. "When will Heero be in?" Ryuzou asked.

"Probably around three. Unless he goes to the library to study, but if I know him, he'll hide in here to avoid attention."

"I wish he wouldn't be so misanthropic and standoffish," Ai said sadly. "I wish" her voice weakened and trailed off.

"Do you think he knows, Mom?"

Ai shook her head softly. 

"Can't I tell him?"

"I don't think that would be the wisest thing, Huy, though well intentioned. Heero is lost enough as it is. He needs to work out some problems on his own before we go telling him where he came from," Ryuzou explained softly.

"But wouldn't it help him if he knew that he did have a family once"

"Who counted him lost and abandoned him at a shuttle port during a political uprising?" Ryuzou finished for Huy harshly.

"We couldn't do anything, you know that Ryuzou. We looked and we kept looking afterwards. There was nothing we could do," Ai said sadly.

"And now he's"

"A strong, handsome young man well on his way to recovery. He will work it out himself, and when he does, he will come to us. We must be patient and give him time," Ai said firmly.

Huy started for a minute and Ai and Ryuzou helped him to Heero's bed. Ai felt his forehead for unnatural heat. "I'm fine Mom. Just a little weak. I need some rest."

She smiled tenderly at her child and took the crutches away, helping him with his shoes and pushing him onto his bed. "We'll be up with some food later tonight, okay?" 

Huy nodded, then grinned.

"What's so funny?" his father asked.

"I was just thinking about how I'm going to get up to my bunk from now on."

"Heero switched beds with you. When I came in to clean up, he had already striped the beds of their sheets and was switching them," Ai said.

Huy grinned. "That's what people don't get about Heero."

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After Heero's last class, he could feel all eyes on him as usual. He despised it, but it was unavoidable. News had spread like wildfire that Heero was one of the famed Gundam Pilots and for a few days, girls were batting their eyes at him and guys avoided him. But then the newspaper spilled the story of how Heero had found the terrorists hide-out by himself, snuk in, got Huy, killed five men, and walked out into the waiting arms of the government. Now everyone as slinking away from him, half-frightened and half-revering. Heero didn't know which reaction was worse–he loathed both.

He decided to by pass the library and study quietly in his dorm. Forget the world, and get his gradesthat's what he would concentrate on.

The first things Heero noticed when he entered the dorm were the crutches lying along the side of the bottom bunk, right before he heard the obnoxious but familiar snoring.

Heero smiled, he couldn't help it. Huy was back.

He flung his bag onto the top bunk and clambered up like a monkey to the mattress. Calculuswhere was his homeworkhis bed thumped upward so forcefully that he fell sideways and rammed into the wall.

Heero flung himself halfway over the side to glare at Huy, who was now wide-awake and grinning like a cherub. "How was school?"

"Fine"

Then they both started laughing. 

"Outta the way!! Cripple com'in' through!!" Neas yelled evilly through the halls as he walked in front of Huy.

Heero walked beside his friend, as a safety in case he fell over. He had offered to carry Huy's books, but Huy was too independent for that. "If you can go months on end without eating, then I can carry my own backpack, thank you very much," he had said stubbornly. 

Kumen and Jimbo seemed to be very much revived by Huy's return to school and were laughing happily.

Everyone was patting Huy on the back and welcoming him back, but he seemed very exhausted by it all and slept soundly at night–noisily, but soundly. Teachers were continually asking him if he was okay, but he would grin and say that sure, he was okay. Wait a second, while he popped his rib back into place'

Most people thought he was being morbid, but Heero understood. Huy liked to say that that was all that mattered–buddies stick together.

That night they were going down to the shuttleport to see Ai and Ryuzou off–trailed by two dozen reporters. Ryuzou had to get back to work, and Toshi said over the vidphone that Yachi was driving him up the wall with her fake makeup and mini-microphoneshe was a bit tone deaf. 

Obnoxious reporters followed them to the gait, but luckily, the guards wouldn't let them through the metal-detectors, but for some reason they were really nice and let Heero and Huy go with Ryuzou and Ai to their gate.

As they walked down the long hallways, Heero kept his eyes on the floor, out the windows, anywhere but the two people who had become like his own parents. He would miss themvery much.

Heero stood awkwardly off to the side as Ai listed all the things that Huy should remember to do and what not to do. Ryuzou rolled his eyes obviously off to the side. When Ai was finally finished, she crushed Huy to her, making him yelp loudly in pain and then she spent the next five minutes apologizing. 

Then she lunged at Heero. "You didn't think that you would be getting away without a hug goodbye, did you," she said laughing when he jumped, startled. But it was Ai's turn to jump when he hugged her back.

He was going to miss Huy's parents, but he had to remember that they were Huy's parents, not his and never would be.

As the shuttle took off, Huy noticed a lone tear work its path down Heero's cheek, but he pretended not to notice. His Mom had said that Heero would come around, and he wasn't going to push it.

Then the twins walked back to the school car where the school nurse was yelling at them to hurry up, and Huy yelled back that he had a broken leg, chill out, and the reports made notes

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The doctors said that it would take be a couple months for Huy's leg to heal because it was such a bad break, but his rib brace came off within three weeks.

Obviously Huy was benched for the rest of basketball season, something which Huy felt was a fate worse than death. He was cursing the coach day in and day out, but Heero was used to Huy's rantings.

Culver eventually crawled his way back into the group, but not without severe ridicule and bickering. It happened one day when they were all in Heero and Huy's dorm playing cards. He had meekly asked if he could join in. Neas had glared at him, and Jimbo and Kumen looked uncomfortable. Heero quietly watched as Huy grinned impishly and patted a patch of carpet beside him. And he was back.

Later he approached Heero when he was walking to the public library alone. "Hey, Heero! Wait up!" Culver yelled down the street.

Heero paused and waited for the English boy to catch up with him. "What do you want?"

Culver stood in front of Heero and said a bit sheepishly, "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior."

Heero couldn't have been more shocked than if Trieze came waltzing down the street holding Mariemeia's hand and swinging her off the ground singing skip-to-loo'. "Why?" What' might have been a more appropriate question, but that wasn't what came out.

Culver took his gloves out of his pockets and pulled them through and through his hands, looking uncomfortable–a nervous idiosyncrasy. "I just felt likeI just didn't understand, and I still don'tOH I DON'T KNOW!!" he yelled suddenly casting aside his attempt to impersonate royalty. "I'm just sorry, okay."

Heero shrugged and turned to walk on to the library, leaving Culver shocked behind him. Then he jumped out of his state and jumped after Heero. "What do you do at the library all night, anyway?"

"Study."

"You can't spend every breathing living waking moment studying though. That's inhuman!"

Heero gave a look that seemed to say who do you think you're talk'in to, mister' and it made Culver laugh. From that point on, they were friends.

The strange thing about the whole situation was that the papers said it was just another little terrorist group causing problems. What bothered Heero was that he knew Morris was still at large–he had seen him on TV as a convention. That meant that he might try again, and Relena was in danger. So Heero sent a long e-mail to Lady Une with what information he had about the entire affair. Then he watched the news like a hawk

"Hey, Huy!! You hav'in fun on the lines?" Neas yelled over to the side of the chain-linked fence.

"Oh shuttup, you stupid Arab!!" he retorted.

"Whatever yella'-boy," he yelled back good-naturedly as he stole the ball from Culver for the millionth time that day.

"Hey!!"

"What, you have a problem with me stealing?" Neas challenged, failing to notice Heero coming up behind him to take the ball.

Before Neas even realized what had happened, Heero had scored for he and Culver. They were playing two on two, Heero and Culver versus Jimbo and Neas. Kumen was referee' and keeping the immobile Huy company.

"Hey superstar!! What's up!!" a very familiar voice yelled across the court.

Heero stopped in his tracks and stared dumbly at the braided, grinning American. "Duohow did you find me here?" he asked, gaping through the fence at Duo Maxwell.

"Whadda' ya mean? You e-mailed me!"

"A month ago, but that had nothing to do with where I was."

"Well, I called Wufei, figured the Super-Over-Stuffed-Preventor would know where you were," Duo explained without missing a beat. Then he vaulted the fence easily, causing everyone to gawk, and strode over to Heero, chattering the entire way.

"UmHeero, you want to introduce your friend to us?" Neas asked.

"Duo Maxwell. Neas Abish, Culver McNeal, Kumen Basish, Jimbo Brightman, Huy Iwasato. What do you want Duo?" Heero rattled off quickly.

"To see my best friend in the whole wide world!"

Heero said very clearly, "Riiiight"

"Hey, you sick or sum'thin man?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"You're talking, not only that but you're being civil and almost sociable. Kinda scary."

""

"So did you get that whole mess figured out?" Duo asked, rubbing his hands together. Heero motioned to Huy. "Awe poop. I was hoping the God of Death might actually get some action!"

"The what?" Culver asked.

"Duo's not quite right in the head. He seems to think that he's Hades," Heero explained.

"I amif only I still had Deathscythebut I like peace better. Oh, and Hilde's great in case you were wondering."

"What's a deathscythe'?" Kumen wondered out loud.

"My gundamanyway, you wouldn't believe"

"YOUR GUNDAM!!" the five boys screeched shrilly.

"You're a gundam pilot too!" Jimbo said in awe.

Duo grinned, very pleased to have such a reaction. "Oh yes. I was the best pilot of them all!" then he caught Heero's look. "Erexcept suicide boy here," he said as he motioned to Heero.

"So that isn't a recent development then" Huy grinned evilly. He had propped himself up on his crutches and was joining the conversation.

"Nah. Heero was jumping out of skyscrapers, refusing to let out his parachute, and then setting his own broken bones from the very beginning."

All eyes were on Heero. "But I wasn't the one who shrieked when I got shot at."

"Hey!! Do you have any idea how scary Wing was!! GAH!!"

The other five boys had glazed confused looks on their faces as Heero and Duo continued to exchange insults until Duo declared that he was playing on Neas' team and Kumen could play on Heero's. Heero rolled his eyes and muttered typical Duo.

Then they picked up the game, which ended in a one on one all out battle between Duo and Heero, with the others gaping open-mouthed at their speed and agility.

Huy decided very intelligently that though Duo was another of the Gundam Pilots, he was obviously very different from both Heero and Wufei. He actually acted like a human!

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A/N Don't worry, this ain't the end of braid-boy or the story...

[beams largely] YOU LIKED IT!! YOU REALLY LIKED IT!!! [goes off and sings happily in a corner while people whisper don't worry about hershe's a little touched in the head'] YEA!!! I'm happy in case you didn't notice

I know this chapter is a little anti-climatic from the last one, but I'm just setting the stage for some stuff to happen. It will pick up againsort of ^_~ [I'm eviljust to warn you]

Sorry for taking so longI have three friggin' AP tests coming up soon and I've been studying for them. Also, the manager at work is on vacation, so guess who's working a buttload of days!!! No excuse, I knowit's Norse-Boy's fault!!! ALL HIS FAULT!! I SWEAR!! [ooooookayyou can tell I've been living off of caffeine for a while now]

Thank you for all the reviews!!! Please keep them coming [I'm greedy]!!!!

Love you all bunches and bunches!!! 

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	27. Collapse...Take Three

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Seven

CollapseTake Three

Disclaimer: GrrrCan't I just put one at the beginning of the story and forget about the rest? I don't own it!!

"So were you scared?" a well-endowed blond in a short skirt and tight blouse asked breathlessly.

"Oh yah, but I wasn't too worried. After all I'm"

Heero tuned Huy's bragging session to a cheerleader out when he felt his lunch start to ascend. He saw Etrea out of the corner of his eye start to come over to their table, but then she turned away in a huff. At least she was being spared, Heero thought.

The bell rang suddenly, much to Heero's delight and relief, and they separated off to classes.

Miss Kiloah handed out practice A.P. tests and started the timer the moment they all sat down. Heero glanced up at Huy every now and then to see that Huy was writing away.

At the end of the day, Heero and Huy walked slowly and carefully down to the dorms. Heero took Huy's bag from him as they plodded up the stairs, laughing and talking the entire way.

Something had changed between the two that Heero couldn't quite understand. They were ten times closer than before. Heero could tell exactly what Huy was thinking at about any time, and vise versa. It was almost the way science fiction novels described the phenomena of ESP. Heero didn't know what he was going to do once they graduated, but he knew that he would always have a true friend.

A little tap on the window caught their attention and Heero got up to see who it was. Duo's goofy face greeted him below. "Hey man! You gonna stay up their studying all night? Get yo' butt down here ASAP!"

"What if I don't want to!" Heero yelled back.

"I'll sic tweezer eye-brows on you!!"

Heero smirked and helped Huy down the stairs again.

"Who is tweezer eyebrows'?"

"Just some really strange common acquaintance. What's up, Duo?"

"Let's go shoot some hoops, I'm bored. This place is so clean that it makes me sick."

"Why does it matter if its clean or not?" Huy asked.

"Duo runs a salvage business," Heero explained and added when Huy didn't seem to comprehend what he had just said, "He collects old metal and MS parts left-over from the wars and sells them."

"After I clean them up and make them all pretty!" Duo said gleefully.

"Are you ever sad?" Huy queried abruptly.

"Yup. I was pretty down when we all got captured and thrown into that prison. And that doctor guy really beat on me, it hurt. And then Quatre went all psycho on us and we didn't know if Trowa was on our side or notat least you and Wufei wondered," Duo rambled.

"Are Trowa and Quatre the other two pilots?"

"Uh-huh. And are they weird."

"No more so than you" Heero interjected.

"Ah wellbut you gotta wonder about those bangs of Trowa's. How is he and preppy boy doing anyway?"

"Trowa's still in the circus I assume. Quatre is preparing to start running the company. He gets it when he turns twenty-one."

"Poor guytwenty-nine sisters–all femaleHilde's hard enough to deal with."

"Of course they're all female, they're sisters," Heero muttered.

"Waitwhat is this Quatre guy's last name?" Huy asked, stumbling on a piece of cement broken from the sidewalk.

"Winner."

Huy pitched forward, almost falling on his face. "WINNER!! No way!! They're peacafistsuh, pacifists!!"

Duo grinned. "The son and heir ain't."

"Duo doesn't know what he's talking about," Heero jumped in. "They are pacifists, but the father was the purist. The children generally believe that sometimes war is necessary for peace."

"Oh. Did you say that that other guy was in the circus?"

"Yup. They're in the colony right now. They might even come here" Duo said.

"HEY!!" Huy interrupted. "Remember that circus that came through here earlier, last semester, Heero?"

"Yah."

"Some guy nodded at me. He had really funky bangs that stuck out."

"That was Trowa all right," Duo said happily skipping down the street, braid bouncing.

They stopped at a local court and pulled open the tin trash can to get a basketball. It was a handy storage place–they just hoped no one would find it. 

Duo grabbed the ball and made for the other end of the court and Heero chased after him while Huy sat and cheered to two on making random comments. But then the ball rebounded against the backboard and knocked into Heero, landing him on his side, arm tucked under his thigh in a twisted position. Duo ran over and turned Heero onto his backside.

"You okay?" he asked as Huy hobbled over toward them.

Heero's eyes looked out of focus and he had to shake himself a little before sitting up. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Then he stood up and took the ball, shooting a three pointer.

After four weeks, Huy's casts still hadn't come off. But he was healing fast, and the doctors said that it wouldn't be too much longer. 

Now Duo was a regular with the group of friends and often the instigator of all mischief–a band of marauders. Things had definitely become more interesting with Duo around. Just within the past week they had rolled three cars, plastic-wrapped another one and a row of lockers, turned all of the trash cans on the campus upside down, nabbed orange construction cones and decorated' the school's roof with them, and changed the words of a local elementary school's sign to read "We eat children". Gluing metal money was always fun too.

Of course, eventually Duo would have to go home--Hilde had actually called to yell at him for leaving her alone with the yard. But Duo managed to find a couple good battle sites near the colony, so, while Heero and Huy were in school, he worked, which somewhat appeased Hilde abated her fury'.

Then the fog came back. Heero decided that whatever he had, it liked to go into remission, and then come back with a bangoff and on, off and on. He was nervous and scared. 

But also Morris was still at large. Heero had given Lady Une the information he possessed, but nothing had happened. Any time he passed a store with a television on, he always searched it for the news, or looked at newspaper headlines in the machines. He may not be a preventor or someone close to Relena, but he did worry about the fragile peace she had created. Fighting was no fun.

The next day after school, Heero said he had to do some research in the library, and Huy didn't feel like tagging along, so he went back to the dorm by himself. Gingerly he lied down on the bed and closed his eyes, sighing in relief. Rest. Blissful, sweet rest. His leg was killing him.

He picked up the book that he had been reading and tuned out the city noises, dissolving into the plot. Though a very social person, Huy felt drained and welcomed the silence. Everything was right and it all was good. He was "home", healing, he knew all about Heero, who had opened up and was doing wonderfully. A little rough still, but he was doing good. And life was good.

Until he heard the ambulance scream down the road.

He didn't know' where the vehicle was going or whom it was for, so to speak, for no one told him, but still, he sensed it. It was just a sick feeling, and he knewHeero. His stomach plummeted, and he forced himself up. His hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't get his shoe on and he dropped his crutches three times before he was out the door.

He clumped clumsily down the flights of stairs, going as fast as he could, trying hard not to fall. However, despite his careful pains, he pitched forward on the last flight and fell all the way down, his metal crutches clattering after him. The pain in his leg was murder, but he grit his teeth and reminded himself that he had felt worse. He had to find Heero and make sure he was okayhe had to.

As he finally exited the dorm building, he heard the vehicle screech away down the street and he stood there feeling lost, scared, and helpless.

Galloping footsteps thudded to a halt behind him, and Huy was afraid to turn to see who it was. "Huythat was"

"I know who's in that ambulance. What happened?" Huy said after interrupting Neas' hesitant voice.

"It was at the library. He was studying just like normal, and then all of a sudden he rested his head in his arms and didn't get up. We tried to shake him awake, but he just sat there. Then we turned him over to see if he was breathing and his face was like chalk, yellow chalk. He was all sweaty and clammy. We panicked and called an ambulance."

"Good. Maybe we'll find out what's really wrong, and he'll get better," Huy said to himself, staring down the street the ambulance had gone down.

"Huy, the emergency rescue guys looked pretty nervous when they saw Heero. He might not"

"Heero will be fine." Huy seemed to be trying to convince himself of it.

Heero opened his eyes to see workers crowded around his body. They were in blurry white suits, working hurriedly, no–frantically, over his body. Something in him was throbbing, but he didn't know what.

Handshands, lots of hands over him. A bright blinding light as the floor jerked to a stop. But floors don't jerk to a stophe must be in an automobile of some sort. He was jarred up and slanted and then downhe was being carried.

It hurthe was aching terriblyall over

A loud sound Heero couldn't identify was blasting in his ears. It hurtit was hurting so much

Someone's clouded face looked down at him, prying his eyelids open, looking at his eyes. Then the person turned and shouteda sharp pain in his armhe was fadingthings were blackswirling mass of blissful emptiness

Then he realizedhe was dying. It was a sudden realization that struck him–he was really going to die this time. After all that he had gone through, after years of hoping and wishing, he was really going to die.

And he welcomed that darkness hurdling toward him, enveloping him, with a smile.

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Huy snuggled in his bed, praying that Heero would be okay. He finally had gotten over the shock of that afternoon's events, and Heero had always been fine before–but now there was a nagging horrid feeling in his gut. He knew that this was it.

Duo's usual tapping at the window drew his attention and he crawled to the window, pushing it open, bracing himself to tell Duo what happened.

But Duo had the first word. "Hey Huy!! Get down here, we're going to see what's up with Heero!" he whispered loudly up the three stories.

"Duo, in case you have forgotten, I am handicapped! I can sneak' anywhere!"

"Yah you can. I'll come up and help. Get out of the way." Within minutes, Duo had swung up the tree outside of Huy's window and slid into the room. "Come on buddy. Get your shoes onor just shoe, I guess."

Then the two teenagers limped out of the building. Duo and Huy sat down on a bench waiting for the city bus to pass by. If Huy hadn't been handicapped, they would have walked, the hospital was close enough. 

"Duodo you think that he'll be alright?" Huy asked, afraid of answer.

"Heero's super-boy. He'll pull through. And whata' you talkin' about anyway? We don't even know what's wrong with him yet. It's not like it's really serious. I bet he just ate something funny at school."

Duo's optimistic voice comforted Huy somewhat, and he wanted to believe the words, but he couldn't really trust them. "But he's been sick ever since I've known him. He collapsed last semester, and then I met some guy from his old colony who said he was sick there too. This is a long-term thing. I'm scared."

"Don't be. He'll be fine."

"I wish I could have your hope and optimism. Are you always this hopeful?"

Before Duo could answer, the bus rolled to a stop and he helped Huy onto the blue vehicle. It was only a stop-filled ten-minute ride to the stop closest to the hospital. They hoppedwell, Duo hopped and Huy clatteredoff of the bus and walked to the tall white building, asking the nurse for Heero's room.

The woman looked suspiciously down at the teenagers. "Family only."

"I am family. I'm his twin brother," Huy said.

Duo's opinion of Huy's fabrication skills lifted as the woman typed Heero's name into the computer. "You can't see him. He's in intensive care."

Both boys' mouths dropped to the ground. "What's wrong with him?" Huy asked softly.

"Maybe you should contact your parents and get them down here. Then we can have them speak to the doctors," she told him.

"But we go to a boarding school. My parents live on another colony," Huy informed her, slightly indignant.

"Get them on the phone, and I'll get the doctor."

She led them into a little office and pointed to the vidphone while she went off to call the doctor in charge of Heero's care. Huy's hand shook as he dialed.

"You're actually calling your parents?" Duo asked in a whisper. Huy ignored Duo and prayed that his parents would answer.

After five rings, Ai's groggy voice and sideways face half buried into a pillow answered. "Hi Mom," Huy greeted.

Ai perked up and sat with her back against the backboard. Ryuzou shifted in his sleep beside her. "What's wrong Huy? Are you alright, honey?"

"I'm fine. It's Heero."

Ai blanched and gripped the sheets. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. The doctor's wouldn't tell me. Me and Duo.."

"Who's Duo?" Ai interrupted.

"Another of the Gundam Pilots. He showed up a while ago. Apparently Heero was calling all the other pilots to find out if they knew anything about me. Anyway, Heero collapsed today in the library. Well, not collapsed, just fell asleep and wouldn't wake up. And his face was yellow. But as I was saying, me and Duo snuck over to hospital and I told them that Heero was my brother"

"Huy" Ai's voice warned.

"It's not like I was telling Heero or anything! But that's not the point. They want to talk our parents and won't tell me anything."

Ai nodded and jumped out of bed, turning on the light and kicking Ryuzou in the back as she threw clothes on. "UhMom? What are you doing?"

"Getting myself presentable at this ungodly hour!! Ryuzou, get up!"

"Whatwhat's going on"

"Heero's in the hospital and we've got to talk to the doctors!"

"What!!" Ryuzou jumped up. 

Huy rolled his eyes as he listened to his parents panic to get dressed and rush to the living room. "What happened?" his father was asking for the fifth time.

"Heero collapsed at school and he's in the hospital," Ai said carefully. "Huy baby, you still there?"

"Mom, what does it look like?"

"Don't get smart with me!! It's two in the morning and I'm half asleep!"

The door clicked and the nurse came in with a middle-aged man behind her. "Mom, the doctor's here," Huy said quickly.

The man smiled awkwardly as he took the receiver from Huy and situated himself in front of the screen. "Goodmorning, Mrs. Yuy."

"Mrs. Iwasato actually. What's wrong with Heero?" A confused look crossed the doctor's face, but he didn't say anything. 

"Perhaps I should ask your son and his companion to leave the room"

"No! Don't," Ai burst suddenly. "I mean, they will be hearing about it later on anyway. This will just save time and confusions in communication. What's wrong with Heero?" she asked again.

"Well, we are running some tests right now to confirmwe are not very sureit's awfully unusual"

"Just spill it. What's going on?" Ryuzuo growled from over Ai's shoulder.

"We think that he has acute myeloma, which is"

"Leukemia. Heero has leukemia," Ryuzou interrupted, growing ever more impatient. "You are kidding. Kids rarely get cancer, most especially myelogenous leukemia."

"Well, that's why we are so hesitant to saywe are running tests, and"

"But Heero's been sick for so long, how could he have acute myeloma? Doesn't that happen pretty quickly?" Huy asked from behind the doctor, making him jump.

"Well, uh, yes. We think that it was in the chronic stage and then progressed suddenly to acute. He has all the symptoms from what I can see of his medical recordsketchy as it is. The anemia, recurrent waves of weakness and dizziness, slow healing, uh, the fractures"

"FRACTURES!!" Ai, Ryuzou, and Huy all screeched. Duo snickered in the background. 

"Uh, yes. Heero has several severe fractures. His femur, and"

"When?" Huy asked, confused.

"Didn't you see him fall the other day when we were playing ball? His face as scrunched up and then he said that he was fine?"

"Ohhe is so dead" Huy muttered, but then the reality of what he just said hit, and he started to cry.

"But I may be wrong. Myloma rarely occurs in people younger than forty. And considering your ethnicity. Asians rarely have leukemia."

"But it does happen," Ryuzou said harshly.

"It has before. I'm very sorry, but I'm not too hopeful. I would like to think that I am wrongbut if I am right, Heero hasn't very long."

"What about treatment? Isn't there chemotherapy or" Ai trailed off, at a loss for words.

"This is where I am not sure about anything. Chemotherapy does help to stave off the cancerin fact it can force it into remission. If Heero has been sick so long and not fallen apart, he must be around some form of radiation, which would act as chemo does, and thus, the myeloma will fade in and out. Some days he would be normal, and others painful. I don't understand how"

"Heero used to be a mobile suit pilot," Duo offered.

"That might help" the doctor muttered.

"What does that have to do with it?" Huy asked.

"The radiation emitted from beam weapons and various equipment. But how he could be around radiation during the school year is anyone's guess," Ryuzuo said.

"But that won't completely eradicate the cancer," Ai drew everyone back to the subject.

"Yes. A bone marrow transplant would be our best bet. The bone marrow is diseased, thus his level of plasma is incredibly low and his immune system is very weak, almost non-existent. If we can cut out the cancer and transplant some healthy bone marrow, generating new stem cellsbut we have to find a perfect match." The doctor paused for a second. "That can be a challenge. Even in large families, often the bone marrow does not match."

"What about in the case of twins?" Huy asked quietly.

"Well, for identical twins, that would be no problem. They have very close if not identical DNA so the matches work. You're not" the doctor trailed off.

"Huy," Ryuzou warned.

"Dad, this is ridiculous. It's not like we have to tell Heero. Yes, Heero and I are identical twins."

"I don't mean to pry, but the last names and"

"We used to live on one of theunstable colonies," Ryuzuo explained. "When Huy and the boy now known as Heero were three, we fled, but Heero was lost in the crowds. We never found him, until out of the blue a boy shows who is identical to Huy and who has no memories of any family. It's too coincidental to be anything else. We haven't told Heero though. We believe he has some emotional hang-ups so we have been hesitant to tell him anything."

"But we will still have to test, to find out for sure."

"Here," Huy held out his arm. "I'm right here!"

The doctor looked down at Huy and shook his head. "Call us when you find out for sure. If we need to fly out there, we will," Ryuzou told the doctor and hung up.

Duo sat silently with his mouth hanging open.

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Huy paced up and down the hall as Duo snored away on a bench. The tests were positive.

_The test were positiveHeero has cancer_

Huy stopped and leaned against a wall, then sank to his knees, his face buried between them. He wanted to cry, tears were so close, but they wouldn't quite come. Huy sat up and sniffled and punched to ground below him. He hated everything. It wasn't fair. His brother was going to be taken away from him again, but this time, it would be forever. But teenagers never got leukemia, it was always the older people. It was impossible, it just couldn't happen.

He punched harder, and harder, over and overup, clench, down, up, clench, down

"Huy? What are you doin' man?" Duo asked groggily.

Huy didn't look up–he didn't want Duo to see his red face. It wasn't fair, Heero was seventeen. "Nothing," he whispered.

Duo got up off the bench and climbed over to where Huy was scrunched on the floor, settling down beside him. "I know how you feel. It's crazy that this is happening to Heero, after all that he has been through, leukemia might get him. But then again, he may live," Duo said hopefully.

"You think so?" Huy almost whimpered.

"Yah. He'll be fine. He always is."

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__

Heero could feel the haze all around him. Things were dark and cloudy again. The blond man, Huy stumbling on his broken ankle, dark park, cold, cry, wet, salt, Ryuzou, Ai, Huy, his bunkbed made up, but still warm from a night of sleeping, Huy stumbling down stairs, Huy's appendages encased in plastic bags so that he could take a shower, wet, tears, blond hairlight, lots of light, a haze.

Hello honey! Her cheerful voice rang. He stood there, watching her as she turned to check something in the oven.

Relena? He asked timidly. 

What is it?

Daddy!! A little girl with flying pigtails screamed happily as she ran into the room, giggling into his knees.

Daddy she said contentedly. 

Dinner's almost ready, Relena said. She had a blue apron on, tied about her round stomach, another babyanother baby

Bwear!! I want my bwear!! He yelled in frustration.

TAI!!! His mother screamed. Painsomeone stepped on his hand, but it was okay. He had bear. Brown and soft. Cinderella was dirty like bear was. She probably was smelly too. Cinderella had blond hair, and was pretty. Prince Charming came and married her. They were at a ball. Really crowded, lots of people, like at the ball. He would find Cinderella. Bear would help. 

Cinderella? Cinderella?

Are you lost, kid?

Nowa. Wooking fow Cinderwella. Where Cinderwella?

Tall man looks around, confused. Cinderella? He asked, confused. I don't see a Cinderellacome, I'll help you find Cinderella.

Owka!! Bwear Hewp!!

Hewp!! Help!! He dodged the lance coming towards him. His horse was strong, but tiring soon. He leaned on his lance for a moment to clear his head and breath. He was the red swath of material stuck into a corner of his shoulder armor. Lady fair was watching, he was fighting for her.

Dust, sweat, smellpanting. He was so tired. So very tired, but an injustice had been committed and needed to be corrected. Correction.

"I think he's coming to!! Go tell his brother. He'll want to see him."

_White light, lots of white lightconfused. Lady fair, Relena, Cinderella, Relena, Cinderella, Lady fair, Relena, Bear_

"Heero? Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Honey, he probably can't understand you, or even recognize you. But don't worry–that's normal, for this. He's very sick, in a delirium. You shouldn't expect too much."

"Heero? You there?"

_Ouch his back is stabbing him, no a pain is backing stab, no, his stab is paining him. light Cinderella he never found CinderellaDaddy!!! Round belly babies innocents hurt. Why did he hurt? Backing paining stab_

"When are your parents coming?"

"As soon as possible."

"GoodI'm afraid we may not be able to save him. You'll need to prepare yourself"

"I need to get a drink of water"

"Don't worry Huy!! Heero, he'll be fine! He always is!!"

"Whatever"

"I think you should be a little more sympathetic to your friend. It's hard enough to see his brother suffering so without your unbiased optimism."

"Well aren't we Miss Bright-and-chipper!!"

_Run!! Run away, faster, faster, faster!! Don't hide!! Fight, be a man.tired, hurt, tired run!! Run, funfun bearHuy bear, Gina pink, Toshi meanmean beanbean, yuck._

Stabbing Backing PainingBacking Paining StabbingPaining Backing StabbingPhysical Breakpoint Systemsave worldlady fair with red swathmust right wrong

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A/N Does this make any sense to anyone? It really is supposed to, but maybe only to me because I wrote it. If you are too confused, you can ask me about it and I'll try to explain. Just remember that when you are sick, you are delirious and have mixtures of fantasy's and memories. I knew someone, that when they were sick, they imagined out this huge elaborate story about getting chased by demons and saving the world. They are very interesting. But this is kind of the same thing, a mixture of memories, repressed and those more recent, and fantasies. 

Sorry that this is such a short chapter, but I'll have the next one out soonbut I just felt that all of this needed to stay together and I didn't want to add stuff just for the sake of adding onto it. That would make it boring and pointless. The question that follows all of this is, does anyone want a sequel? I'm already thinking that far in advance [there are a couple more chapters left in this story]. But I've got a few ideas for a sequel that will follow a different venue. Does anyone what it? Or leave rest of the story to the imagination? 

If you have any questions about leukemia itself, ask and I'll try to answer them. I'm not a doctor or a pre-med. student, or anything like that [but I do plan to major in nursing when I start college next semester], most everything is from research I did last summer for this story [I told you I had the entire thing planned out from the beginning] and some information gleaned from my anatomy and physiology classes this year. Anyway, sorry for the long notes and short chapter, I hope you liked it and will like the remainder of the story

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=


	28. Bone Marrow

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter 28

Bone Marrow

*Disclaimer: I don't own it, I made up the plot (pathetic as it is), and leukemia is a real disease.

It was now becoming a regular sight at the hospital: a Japanese man, woman, and teenager, clean-cut with white faces siting with a long-haired Caucasian teenager shifting positions every two seconds. The nurses and doctors had long ago learned their names and understood the situation. No one questioned it. A son in the family had leukemia, and his best friend was also there. But then the unusual visitors came, and rumors flew.

Ryuzou's eyes snapped open when he heard footsteps, firm and even. Ai shook awake when her husband shifted. Huy, exhausted, had collapsed into a seat across from the couple. Duo paced up and down the floor, as he had all night and the night and day before, but he turned around at the footsteps. 

"Lady Une?" he asked softly.

"Duo Maxwell," she acknowledged, and proceeded to enter Heero's room.

"Wait! He's just had surgery! The doctor's said no visitors, not even us!" Ai protested, as she moved to fill the space between the Lady and the door.

"As much as I hate to disturb Heero, I'm afraid it is necessary for the case" Lady Une paused to glance at the snoring boy curled into a chair. "How is your son?"

Ai felt herself growing weak. "He's much better than he wasbut this whole situation with Heero has thrown us all for a loop."

Lady Une nodded and advanced to the door. 

"I don't see what you can accomplish by trying to speak with Heero. The case is over, Huy is safe, and what's more is that Heero hasn't been lucid since he was brought in," Ai said firmly.

"I'm afraid the case isn't quite over, but we cannot do anything without Heero's help."

The door opened and closed.

_Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lambs eat ivy, a kid'll eat ivy too, wouldn't you? Mares eat oats and does eat oats and Bambi lost his mommyI want mommy_

Come onwe'll find mommy. What's your name?

Tai! T-A-I!!

How old are you, Tai?

UmTEN!!

Taihow old are you really?

He held up three fingers with one hand, clutching his bear with the other. Nice man bout ta talk, but scary black, lots of scary black run and nice man pick up and run

Run away!! Don't let them find you...rundon't let them find you

"Heero? Heero Yuy? Can you hear me?"

_Rundon't let them see you!! Scary lady's voicescary lady with scary man_

Afterwards, if you make it out of here, then there will finally be peace. This is the only thing I can do for you.

Heero!

Mister Trieze is deadthat voice

"La-dy Une?" his voice cracked. It was painful to talk. Reality? It was so bright, it hurt his eyes. Was he awake? What's real?

"Heero Yuydo you remember Huy Iwasato?"

Heero was quiet for a long time, but finally answered, very slowly, "Is he okay?"

Lady Une seemed very relieved. "Huy's fine, but we have to find out about a man named George Morris. Do you remember Morris?"

"The bastard who was going to assassinate Relena?"

Lady Une gave a satisfied look. "That would be the one. Can you prove that he did anything?"

"Ask Ryuzouhe knows"

"Ryuzou? Who's he?"

"Ryuzou IwasatoHuy's dadI told you to ask him in the e-mail"

Lady Une's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you sure?"

Heero didn't answer. He had closed his eyes again and had not moved a muscle.

_RyuzouHuy's dadDADDY!!! I wants my DADDY!!!_

Shh, shhdon't cry. Don't let them hear you. I'm here. 

Odin?

Shhit's only an owl. Don't be frightened.

I don't like owls. I had that dream again, about the short man and pretty woman.

Your parentsremember?

Not really. You got another mission?

I won't be gone long. Mrs. Jewls is going to watch you again.

I can take care of myself!

I know you canand Mrs. Jewls too. Hey, don't be sad.

I'm not sad. I figured you were going away because of this trip. Won't you take me with you? 

When you are six, not until then. Besides, you can't afford to miss too much school.

I don't like school.

Neither did I at your age.

It's boring. Everyone goes so slowly.

Well, you're just to smart for your own good

Too smarttooooooo smartthat kid's a little smart alec! We can't have a weapon back talking us!

He's just a boy!

And what about that stupid dog!! We cannot afford him any feelingsRETRAIN HIM!!

But he's just a boy! He can't handle that. Do you want to have the perfect weapon go insane on our hands? He could kill us all.

Put him back in the PBS now!

Smallso smalldon't want to go back into that dark roombut Demkin can't see it on his face or else he'll have to go in there longerdon't let anyone find you!! You can take care of yourself!! Odin!! Odin!!!!!!!!!!!

"Heero.Heero, stay with me. I'm not finished."

__

Scary lady's voice againmuch pain

Aim them for the colonies!

NOOOOOOOO!!!! Mission, must protect coloniescan't let her.

"Lady Une?"

"Listen to meHeero, I think you may have left some information out. This man is after Miss Relena and we have to find a way to arrest him and keep him away from her before he can attack. We need to find outthere has to be something else"

"I told you everything I know. Any other possible information that might be out there is in Ryuzou's head, not mine."

"Heero. Heero! Stop that, you come back here right now! Don't leave, I'm not finished with you yet!"

_Get your butt back here boy!_

Run, gotta run, get away, pain, too much of it, can't stand it

Humpty-dumpty sat on a wall, humpty-dumpty had a great fall, all the king's horses, all the king's men couldn't put humpty together again. Cracked eggs, spilled over sidewalk

Me, me, meeeeeeeeeeeow, splat, cat always lands on feet when it falls. Must become cat, land on feet alwaysstable, sturdy, strongland on feet, keep head out of the clouds

Foot against starting block, poised to run, cleat against rubber trackshot in the airsprint down, fast, fast, faster, faster, must be fastest. Run, hide, hide and go seek

"Did you speak with him?" Ai asked anxiously.

"He woke very briefly. Hehe told me something rather disturbing which he had alluded to before. Mr. Iwasatomay we please have a private conference?"

Ryuzou grunted and pulled himself up out of the chair. "Sure."

"You said that he'd be getting better after the surgery," Ai said crossly.

"That is assuming that his body accepts the bone marrow. And even then, it will take some time for the body to start reproducing white blood cells from the new stem cells and to start repairing his body. He's been torn with this for months now. It will not be a quick healing process. It will be painful tooand what's more, I will be completely honest with you now, he might not get better even then." The frazzled doctor sighed.

"You mean some type of permanent damage?"

"Perhaps. He's still a growing teen-ager and such and ordeal could stunt his growth, mental and physical. Mrs. Iwasato, I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm just saying be prepared. We've tried all we can, but it might not be enough."

Ai groaned and shut her eyes to push away the tears. "Thank you doctor" and she slowly walked back to her seat in the hallway, waiting for her son to awaken.

The doctor watched the Japanese woman sit down sadly. He couldn't bear to tell her what the real problem was. The surgery had commenced flawlessly and if any of the like surgeries would succeed, this one would, and what he said about acceptance of marrow was true, but since the bone marrow had come from the patient's identical twin, there should be no problem. The problem was within the patient's sub-conscious mind. He was worried and tired and downtrodden. He could not allow himself to get well because, ultimately, he wanted to die. 

He himself had heard the patient mumble words from time to time, and knowing the boy's history from him parents, reading the newspaper, and watching the news, he was able to make a few connections and understand how the boy thought. He was blaming himself for deaths of innocents and he wanted to die so his mental ghosts would disappear.

If he did not want to live, he wouldn't live, and that was all there was too it.

The doctor shook his head sadly as he looked in on the patient, pale and yellowish hue washed out even more by the sterile white walls and bedclothes. 

"Mom," Huy whispered at the woman sagging into the plastic hospital chair, face buried in her hands. "Mom, what did the doctor say?"

Ai sniffed softly and then pulled herself upright. "He said that the surgery was successful, but the body might still reject the marrow and that it's too soon to tell if it will or not. That and the body has to recover from the surgery and sickness too, but if the damage is too severe, then he will never be whole again." She looked up at her son with sad eyes and watched as he fell to the floor and cried onto her legs. Ai stroked his hair and felt herself calming downsomething was strengthening within her as her motherly duty appeared before her. Somehow, by worrying about her child instead of her own pain, she forgot herself and gained resolve. "I'm sorry Huy. I'm sorry."

Huy hiccuped back some tears and clung onto his mother. "This isn't fairthis isn't fair"

"Huy, I think you should go back to school now."

"WHAT!!" he burst, sitting on his legs upright, staring open-mouthed at her. "But Heero is still sick and,"

"You need to get back to school," she interrupted. "Huy, you can't pine away here. You aren't doing any good. You still have to graduate. What's more, you need a distraction."

"I don't want a distraction. My brother is dying, YOUR SON IS DYING!!! And all you can say is, let's move on! ARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!!" Huy screamed and jumped up, sprinting down the hallway.

"HUY! HUY, come back!" Ai yelled after him and raced down the hallway.

Duo sat quietly watching the entire episode, but as the mother and son disappeared down the hallway, he got up and quietly opened Heero's door.

Heero looked horrible. That was the only way to describe him. He looked bad, really bad. He was just a shell of his former self, a raisin of a person, but not wrinkled, just wasted. He looked so delicate.

He never imagined that he'd see Heero like this.

Duo walked over to Heero, but was almost afraid to touch him, lest he dissolve under his fingers. "Heero" His voice was hollow. His heart felt hollow, empty. He had no inclination to cry for his comrade-in-arms, and he was simply numb.

He sunk down into a chair and sighed softly. He was powerless to stop this, to helpHeero was slipping away "Hey buddy?" Duo finally asked, leaning over Heero's bed. "You there? Anybody home? Ya know, Huy and everyone's really worried bout you. Sorry I couldn't come to help you sooner with that whole mess" Duo stopped to study Heero's face for any sign of acknowledgment. 

Suddenly he jumped up and walked over to the small, covered window on the opposite wall. "What's the use?" he asked vehemently. "You always wanted to die. I bet you're ecstatic right now, lying there like this. Counting the days? How much longer do you have left?" He whipped around to glared at the prone figure. "You're so selfish. You can't even see how much people care. Do you have any idea how much people would miss you if you just died?" Then in two quick, long steps, Duo was leaning over Heero's figure. "Just snap out of it man! I know if you wanted to, you could get better. You egotistical jerk_wake up!_" Duo said in a deadly whisper. "You're killing Huy!"

He glared down at Heero's face, but there was no response, no sign that Heero had heard him. Duo collapsed down onto his knees and cried. It hurt so much

Then he stood up and walked out of the room.

"Huy.HUY!!!! Come back here!!!" Huy heard Ai's voice scream after him. He sprinted down the stairs to the ground floor, but as he heard his mother begin to gain on him, he jumped the rail and landed on his feet thanking the heavens that he had finally gotten his cast off

He thought he heard a slight crunch from his injured ankle, but he ignored it, endorphins and adrenaline taking over. He raised across the barren lawns, leaped over short bushes and kept going. He ran down the sidewalk and up to the large suspension bridge. Avoiding cars, he kept to the side and slid through the wires to hide underneath halfway hoping that he touched a live wire.

His knuckles bled when he hit the metal skeleton of the bridge, he pounded it, punching and screaming, blood and sweat pouring down him. Then he screamed and clung onto the sun-warmed iron, he hoped it'd brand him

Huy quietly opened the door of the sterile hospital room. Softly, he shut it behind him and turned to look at the frail form in the bed.

Heero's face was waxy and pale-blotched yellow and chalky white contrasted oddly with his dark hair. He was sleeping peacefully, or at least as peacefully as he could amongst beeping machinery. Huy's face was drawn tight as he looked down on the boy.

Even a Gundam pilot can end up like this--unbelievable. 

Huy advance to a chair in the corner and dragged it to Heero's bedside. He sat down and buried his face in his hands as if holding back tears. Then he slowly looked up at the sickly boy who so much resembled himself.

Heero's hand lay flat out at his side on top of his blanket, the tiny delicate bones and blue veins clearly visible through the tight, thin skin. Huy took the hand and held it tightly, eyes raining.

Then he shook away the salty liquid and looked at the sleeping form. Heero's blue eyes were slightly open, looking even larger than usual from his severe weight loss. His breathing was harsh and uneven. Heero continued to stare at Huy then forced out in a weak-whispering voice, not resembling the voice he used a month ago, "Don't cry for me Huy, I'm not worth it. Beside, all my pain will be gone when I die."

Huy shook his head fiercely. "You're not dying! You're gonna be fine! You have to be." Huy's voice cracked at his last sentence.

"Why?" Heero croaked out.

"Because there is still so much for you to live for. People love you and need you, especially me! You're the only one who really understands me–you've changed my life. I would still be flunking all my classes, chasing a hopeless dream if it hadn't been for you. You _can't die_!!" Tears were streaming down his face.

"Then I'm glad I was able to help you and will die happy," Heero told him.

"You know what? I think you want to die. I think you're being a coward so you aren't even fighting. You feel guilty from the war and tired. You want to die!" Huy spat out bitterly.

Huy glared at him and sighed. "Fine, if you're so insistent on dying then I'd better tell you this now. Maybe it'll make you want to live and fight a little or at least appreciate what you're doing to others." He paused, thinking of how to phrase it, but then barreled forward. "You do have something to live for you know, brother," Huy looked at Heero directly in the eyes.

Heero looked back. "I was wondering if you were ever going to try and tell me that. Don't forget–our appearances could be coincidences," he reminded.

"No," Huy insisted. "You are my twin brother Tai. You were born fifteen minutes after me. We have pictures of you, of us. I even REMEMBER you. When I first saw you, I tried not to get my hopes up and tried not to get my family's hopes up when I wrote to them about you. But none of us could help it. This transplant is proof that you are my brother. The bone marrow has to be compatible so that the body will accept it. They did a DNA test to make sure, because you're so weak, the rejection could have been too much of a strain and killed you. It was a perfect match, so now I know that you're Tai."

"Then how did I get separated from you and your family?" Heero asked skeptically.

"I don't know how much you know of the colonies' histories, but there were strikes, petitions, and smaller rebellions after Heero Yuy's assassination. The colonies were very disorganized and in an uproar for several years under the new leadership.

"While we were living on LX-352, where you and I were born, a group rebelled against the colony's leaders and attacked. We were only three years old at the time. Everything was burning and the ventilation wasn't working properly, so everyone had to flee or suffocate. Dad got all of us together and we rushed to a shuttle–one of those cramped emergency ones that every colony has. That's when you got lost in the crowd–we never saw you again. The only thing I can gather is that someone found you and kept you.

"Mom nearly went berserk after losing you. We had moved to where we live now and things were hard–starting over always it. I remember looking for you and Mom holding me and telling me she was sorry but my brother was gone. I got really quiet and somber, so mom and dad made me see a shrink. I hated it so I forced myself to be happy so that they would stop sending me. Mom started to get better, but I got worse in my silent hell. I couldn't concentrate so I got crappy grades, while my brother and sister made straight A's. That's when I decided I was stupid and it hasn't been till recently that you convinced me otherwise.

"Then mom had Yachi. I was nine or so and I remember how sad she was during the whole pregnancy. But when the baby came, she changed completely. Yachi helped me too. She wanted me to teach her how to throw when she was two and she always had to sit by me. I might not be here if it wasn't for her innocent love–that's why if anyone hurts her, I swear I'll rip them limb from limb. She's my baby sister.

"And now I have my brother back. I just got you and I don't think I could bear it if I lost you again. You can't die. I won't let you," Huy glared at him, daring him to disagree.

Heero just looked up at him with his big blue eyes.

"You are Tai Iwasato, and you have a family. We love you more than you can imagine. We lost you once, and I, at least, can't handle it if we lose you again. Fight it Tai, if not for your own life, but for mine. You can't die."

After Huy left, Heero felt drained from the emotional strain and forced speaking. He noticed the dark spots on the wall opposite his bed--shadows cast by the outside trees blocking the sun, wavering.

He felt a little sadHuy didn't even know his family's storyhis parent's had never told him that they had fled because their lives were in danger, not because of the colonies physical conditionthat happened after they had already leftbut that was Huy's family, what was he even worried about?

The light flickered for a moment and Heero closed his eyes. Something wet stung his skin, he griped the blanket tightly. The sun seemed to be playing tug-o-war with the clouds. Suddenly the shadows disappeared.

Then slowly he opened his eyes and looked to his side–the bathroom door was open. A mirror of the sink faced him, angled down for convenience of those in wheelchairs. He looked at his large blue eyes and blinked. Heero raised a delicate finger, reaching towards the mirror. "Huy? Huy" He popped his arm, trying to reach the face, the person, but they were to far to reacha flash of blue and red, a blur of black hairI buil' caswleTai, Huy and Tai. "Huy?"

__

PBSnot againARRGGGGGG!!!, no not therered capsule, lowered into itshadows all around, it hurt, it pounded him, invaded his mind, raped his mind"When you don't cry, then you are ready." "I won't cry, I won't" Thick liquid all around, submerged, choking, suffocating, crushing, pressureships, aircraft, foot soldiers surroundwarm shadow, feels like armswho is that? Pretty woman holds her arms out to enfold himlittle boy by her sidelooks like himselfmirror, maybe a mirror"Huy? HuyTai? Are you Tai?"

"Hello Tai" his voice cracked dry and childish. "Helloyou've been gone a long timeTai 'bye Mary, bye little one, thank you for the flower."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N Sorry for the delays. I've been so busy even though I have no school. I really thought I'd have more time to write but to say the least, I was wrong (obviously). I'm gonna try to get it all out soon, but I can't make any promises. [Bonks head from lack of sleep]. Anyway, [rubs eyes] I'm getting ideas for a sequel but it may be a while before I actually get any of it out. I'll just have to see. Hehe, and I have read a LOT of Terry Brooks, Morganeth Taren'drel.I totally forgot I had used that name [grins really big]. So anywho, thank you guys for your reviews!! It really keeps me going, I know I've said that a million times, but it's still true every time. So now, I guess I'll get onto chapter 29 now 

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee


	29. The End or the Beginning?

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The End or the Beginning?

*Disclaimer: My cousin went to a fortune cookie factory this summer and bought three huge bags of them, but none of them foretold me getting GW, so–BURP!– (hehe, excuse me...) for now, don't sue me because I'm not getting any money out of this.

She looked at him nervously, watching for a reaction. Everything had been made ready for him, now she just had to see what he'd do. Somehow, no knowing that he was her son, she was a million times more nervous to have him here than when he was just a visitor. Could she ever call him Tai? Or would he always just be Heero Yuy, the assassin? Could she help him grow and learn and heal? It was the pain of motherhood–the unconditional love of the child yet complete incapability to help.

He walked slowly into the room. He looked thin and worn and he walked unsteadily, his frame thin and pale. His face was that of an old man, prematurely aged, sagging yet stretched and tired. A puff of wind could have knocked him over. 

The room was light and airy with the blinds open. There were bunk beds on one side of the room with similarly patterned patch-work quilts and a tall chest-of-drawers standing next to them. A closet and desk were on another side. Several posters of basketball stars dotted the walls and the pull-up bar in the doorway signaled Huy's presence. Heero smiled hesitantly and sagged slightly.

"Heero! Are you alright?" Ai rushed to his side, ever conscious of his every move. Heero nodded slightly. "Here, sit down," Ai said as she pulled him to the lower bunk.

After cautiously siting down, Heero looked up and smiled at her. "Thank you."

Ai's eyes began to water. "It's no trouble. But you must be tiredwould you like to take a nap or something to drink?"

"I ought to sleepI'm feeling a little peaked"

Her watery smile almost made him laugh as she forced a smile and nodded, helping him to lay down. She took so much pleasure in helping him and mothering him. Huy had said that she had nearly gone insane when she lost him–maybe he should let her baby him for a while.

Her soft figure swished out of the room shutting the door quietly behind him. Heero leaned back, settling into his pillow and mattress, the springs crinkling downward. His eyes closed with the slight burning and stinging from eyes too long open. The past month had been filled with sleepless nights and painful dreams, as usual. But they were a little different.

_/Why? I just can't understand why. Why me? After all that I have suffered, I was supposed to live here, with these loving kind people that I never realized existedI never knew any kindness existed before I met RelenaDr. J had tried to help me, but he wasn't kind like thiswhy? It doesn't make sense_

/What reason was there for me to suffer soto make the sweet seem so much sweeter? But why me and no one else.am I so important? How/

Faces swirled before himAi's bloodied tears streaming down her face as she cried helplessly for her baby. Ryuzou looked on hopelesslyhis wife falling apart before him, her sanity shaken, his little children that he watched over so carefully and loved and protected, his precious babies falling away from him, and all he could do was watch, he was powerless. Toshi holding his little brother's writhing body, pained and lonely, separated from his companion, friend, even from the womb, a little mass of brown hair shaking in his arms, and all he could do was hold on a little longer. A tiny girl standing in a corner watching her family in shambles, her lower lip trembling, longing to be held close, cold air filling her little lungs, a small sob finds it's way to the open air, but no one to hear. A boy is imprisoned in his private hell on a hot street, his mind frozen and incapable of logical thought. A girl is running from prying handslittle puddle of mud defies gravity soaking upwards to coat them, their minds, their hearts, survival, hate, anger, sorrow, and no one to see, no one to care

_/I'm not the only oneI'm not the only one/_

Duo sat glaring at his computer screen, his eyebrows crunched in concentration. 

"DUO!! Duowhere are you?" Hilde's voice called out.

"I'm back here!" Duo yelled without looking up from the computer and the offending accounts.

"Are you still wrestling with that stuff?"

"Yah.." Duo's voice trailed off as he typed in a few numbers.

Hilde sighed as she leaned over him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a loose hug, resting her chin on the top of his head. "Wellmaybe it would help if you took a break to eat something. You'd be able to think better, the brain needs sugar to operate."

"I've just got so many stinkin' numbers floatin' around in my head, I don't know what I need to put down in this columnstupid taxesthey are so much easier when you're not doing it for a business."

"Maybe we should have hired someone to do it"

"But if I can do it myself then that's just an unnecessary cost," Duo said firmly.

"Ooooookay.whatever you say" Hilde said sarcastically as she swaggered off.

Zecks sat quietly at his cherry wood desk, the sunlight on his back from the half open floor to ceiling windows behind him. His eyes were tight and serious as always, bent in concentration over seven or eight files all strewn around his desk. He had several papers in his hands when he let his fingers go limp and they fell through and landed on his desk.

He swiveled around to face the open window. "Why do I even try any more" he muttered softly to the bluebirds. "They just keep on coming."

Zechs jumped in his chair as he door flew open and a harried Noin rushed in. "Zechs, Relena is one her way here. I just received a call about it. She flew in safely to the airport and she has ten Preventor Officers bringing her here." Noin panted softly and her bright smile waned as she looked at Zechs' sour expression. "Zechs, what's wrong?"

"This is all pointless Noin."

"What is?" She looked at him in confusion.

"Thisprotecting and rescuingit's all pointless. They just keep coming after her. No matter what I do." He swiveled to face her. "It doesn't matter where she goes, someone finds her, harasses her, hurts her.it's too much. She's only a child. She shouldn't have to deal with this. Not now."

"But if she doesn't, who will? She's a true daughter of the Peacecraft line and she is upholding her beliefs. With that will come pain and strife, but she has chosen her own path."

"But she's a teenager Noin. She should be worrying about a biology test or literature paper or giggling over a dumb boy and" He rested his elbow on his desk and leaned his forehead on his knuckles, sunlight playing off of his hair.

Noin sighed and sank into a leather chair in front of Zechs' desk. "I really don't know what to say to you Zechs. This is what she wants to do. She chose this path and there's nothing else to it. She's got a strong spirit."

"Nobody's got that strong of a spiritall spirits are broken eventually. That's how horses are trained." His voice trailed off. Then he sat up and started to put all the papers away. Several escaped his hands in the breeze and fluttered to the plush forest green carpet. "I think," he said as he shoved several files in a drawer, "that I want to find a way to give Relena her childhood back."

Noin got up to pick up the papers hiding the surprise in her face. "How?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet. But she shouldn't have to suffer this right now. She's still a child and she deserves to have her childhood for at least a little longer. SheI thought, maybe it would be beneficial for her to finish school"

Noin carefully laid the papers down on his desk. "That sounds like a wonderful idea to me"

"But" Zechs prompted.

"But what?" Noin said with exaggerated wide-eyed innocence.

"Don't pretend with me, Noin. You're about as innocent as a cobra. What's wrong with that idea?"

Noin walked around the to the back of the desk behind Zechs to look out the window at the vast streets and towering buildings. The streets were quiet and birds flew freely. "I just worry that she won't blend in. Her face is too well knownshe'll be recognized anywhere she goes andI guess I just worry for her safety. Maybe if you found her a companion, a body guard."

Zechs narrowed his eyes as he looked at Noin's back. "And just who would you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know. I thought maybe Heero would be good." Noin quickly explained when she saw his expression. "You did mention the giggly girls stuff, and she was giggly about him for a little while. And he could protect her."

"Noin," Zechs sounded irritated. "Heero would never work. The point of this would be to shelter Relena until she is an adult. Heero is too noticeable. His idea of camouflage would be to walk down the street in biker shorts with a pistol in the back pocket. And he's too talented. People will notice his talents. He would undoubtedly take classes in his specialties and rise above all the others. No, that would never work." Zechs looked nonplussed for a moment then said, "you are suggesting Heero for another reason aren't you?"

"Mabye" Zechs gave her a rather elastic look of disbelief. "Okay, okay, I was thinking that Heero might be more effective in convincing her than you would be. You know how she cares for the people. She won't agree to leave them, not in a million years."

"And why would she listen to him over me?" Zechs asked calmly. "If she won't leave them she won't leave them."

"I told you, she likes him! Zechs, you are her big brother and she automatically fights against what you try to do, but Heero is someone that he cares for and listens too and believes in. If he"

"Noin," Zechs said firmly, "Relena will not listen to him either. She listens politely to everyone but then she goes and does whatever she feels is right. It has nothing to do with who is speaking to her." The tension was growing slowly.

"Well, I really don't know how you're going to pull this off at all. She'll need protection, and companionship, andand a total make-over! Everyone on Earth and on the colonies knows her face."

"NoinI can take care of my own sister," Zechs insisted.

"I know Zechsit's just" crunching wheels below caught Noin's attention and she walked to the edge of the window, pushing the green brocade curtains as far back as they would go so she could see the white van below. Reports swarmed around the vehicle as the back doors opened and several men with guns jumped out, arm-in-arm with a petite blond in a blue skirt suit. "It's just I worry for Relena"

Zechs came to stand behind Noin. "I do too. That's why I'm going to do this."

SNAP. POP. 

Wufei winced at the annoying saliva noises coming from Sally as she popped her gum loudly, knowing full well that it drove him batty. "Sally, if you do that one more time I swear I'm going to cut your tongue out"

The room was silent. Wufei sat bolt upright from his work with one eyebrow cocked. Surely he hadn't actually scared her. Usually she just came over to pop her gum in his ear. He looked around to see if she was in the room. And she still wasat her computer _That's odd_Wufei thought to himself. But then he did a double take and noticed that one hand was at her mouth, her face was completely drained of all blood making her truly look like an albino Chinese.

"Sally" Wufei called over to her. "Sally, what's wrong?"

Sally didn't even look up. "Sally?" Wufei called out as he got up from his swivel chair, striding over to her, papers still in hand. He stood behind her, reading what she was looking at.

"Oh my" he whispered hoarsely as the files dropped to the floor. His knees grew weak and he hardly noticed as he fell on them to the tile below. He rested his head against one of Sally's desk draws brining in shallow breaths, slow and wispy. "Heero can't behe can't be"

Life finally came back into Sally and she turned to look over at Wufei. "He's dead. Leukemia. I don't believe it."

Wufei swallowed loudly.

Trowa scaned the room quickly looking for his friend. His eyes rested on a blond boy waving fervently from across the room. He strode over across the crowed room filled with clinking glasses and scraping silverware to the window seat where Quatre was. 

"Trowa," Quatre smiled happily as he got up from his seat behind the table hugging him. Trowa nodded as they both sat down. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in forever! I saw the advertisement for the circus so I just knew that I had to arrange to see you!"

Trowa nodded again. "I've been good. Lot's of traveling. I even saw Heero a while back."

"You did? How's he doing?"

"He seemed happy. And Duo's been emailing me regularly."

"I know," Quatre said somewhat sternly. "I think that Hilde should regulate what he does on the computer a little more"

Trowa almost chuckled. "Catherine asked me to say hi to you for her."

"Oh, did she?" Quatre asked as he sipped his water. "That was kind of her. Tell her I said hi back. How is she doing?"

"As protective as ever. Maybe she'll realize I can take care of myself once I'm 18if I knew when that was anyway" Trowa said softly as he drew pictures on the white table cloth with his forefinger.

Quatre smiled sympathetically. "I'm personally hoping for when I become legally eligible to run the company. My sisters area little over enthused when helping manage it"

"I can see that," Trowa said softly looking down at the prisms of light dancing off the glass of clear liquid as the sun hit it. "I can see that"

Her hair had been done up in her favorite red ribbons, her back pack was pink with little animals all over it, she had been good at school and did not have any homeworkand Heero was going to be home when she got there!! 

Yachi skipped off the smelly noisy school bus and ran to the front door, flinging it open and throwing her bag down she sprinted up the stairs, little pig tails flying behinds her.

The house was silent but she didn't care. Heero was home–well Tai. Mom said that his name was now Tai and she had to call him that, but she didn't much care. He was still Heero. She crept to his door and opened it quietly to see what he was doing. His patch-worked back was to her and he was sleeping peacefully, his side rising and falling softly.

Yachi walked over to the bed and climbed up, carefully avoiding stepping on the sleeping boy. She laid down next to him and looked at his closed eyelids. Resting her head on the pillow next to his, she molded herself to him and sighed deeply. Heero was here againmaybe he'd let her play make-up on him this timeif he's living here he can't escape

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A/N I'm soooooo sorry that this is short and that it's taken so long. Let's just say that a few things pushed all the imagination and gumption I had out for a while and I couldn't write and I didn't have time to either. But I just felt like writing again for the first time in a loooooong while so I did. Hopefully you can see that this little chapter is setting up for a sequel. This was not a romance story or anything like that, but hopefully you've enjoyed it all the same. I will say that the next story will be a romance with Relena and probably several other Gundam Pilots in it, and undoubtedly Zechs. I'm going to try and get started on it but it may be this summer before I get that one going. I won't have too much time to write this semester with all my classesmicrobiology and biological chemistrybut I will be taking my second semester of Japanese!! I'm soooo excited!! Maybe I'll even get to Japan some day. Anyway, I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season. I'm personally dreading going back to schoolI want to write!! But once I get it going, it will go fast, I think. 

Thank you so much for sticking through this with me. This is my first really long and complicated fic and I can't believe that I've actually finished it. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it half as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I hope you'll read more of my stuff in the future (not my old stuffit stinks). Thank you again.

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^.^=


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